The College of Law and Management Studies celebrates the achievements of two graduates whose research sheds light on the state of South Africa’s ports and maritime industry.
Ms Nokulunga Nzimande, who graduated with a Master of Business Administration (MBA), and Ms Nomfundo Hlophe, who earned a Master of Laws (LLM) in Maritime Law, both focused their studies on identifying solutions to key challenges facing the country’s ports.
Raised in the rural community of Impendle, Nzimande is the eldest of six children, a role that taught her leadership, accountability, and resilience from a young age. Now a municipal finance analyst at the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Treasury, she pursued her MBA to sharpen her leadership and strategic skills. Her research examined capital expenditure trends and highlighted how South African ports suffer from underspending, governance inefficiencies, and high tariffs, leading to ageing infrastructure and reduced competitiveness.
“My research revealed how the National Ports Authority’s lack of financial independence within Transnet has led to underinvestment in critical infrastructure,” she explained. “This compromises efficiency, raises costs, and affects our country’s competitiveness.”
Her research makes recommendations for reforms in governance, procurement, and investment to ensure sustainable port performance.
Hailing from Ndwendwe Mission, Hlophe was inspired by Operation Phakisa’s vision for an oceans economy. Her research focused on the governance structure of the National Ports Authority, uncovering what she terms an ‘identity crisis’ rooted in misalignment between legislation and corporate structure. She says this has weakened performance and fuelled conflicts of interest.
“The Port Authority could thrive if it operated under the correct governance structure,” she said. “Good governance and performance are inseparable, and getting the basics right is what will position South Africa’s ports as global trade enablers.”
Both graduates acknowledge the sacrifices made in balancing demanding academic work with professional and family responsibilities. For Nzimande, it meant long nights and weekends dedicated to assignments and group projects. For Hlophe, it meant sacrificing paid work and treasured family time to complete her dissertation.
Both say that the reward is greater than the degrees themselves. Their research is about transforming South Africa’s ports into efficient, well-managed, modern gateways.
“Ports are gateways to the world,” said Nzimande. “They should enable trade, not block it.”
Though their paths may be different, they share the same vision: to transform South African ports into engines of growth, efficiency, and global impact.
Words: Lungile Ngubelanga
Photograph: Sethu Dlamini