Zandile Kunene Mbeje

Zandile Kunene Mbeje

Ms. Zandile Kunene is currently the Executive Director of the Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance (MGSLG), an agency of the Gauteng Department of Education.  She is also a nominated member of the Board of Directors of Link Community Development, an international not-for-profit organization working in the education sector.  She is the past president of the Education Management Association of South Africa (EMASA)

She has been nominated as one of SA’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government by her peers. These awards recognize the profound and exceptional contributions women have made in their sectors and she has been identified as a woman who has made a difference in the lives of women across South Africa, whether directly or indirectly, as well as positive difference in the competitive world comprising the public and private sectors.  She was also nominated and a finalist for the 2006 Outstanding Women in the Public Sector and State Owned Enterprises Awards; best service delivery category.

Ms. Kunene holds the following qualifications: a Bachelors of Arts, a Higher Diploma in Education and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Natal.  She is currently registered with the Institute of Education, University of London for an MBA in School Leadership.

Ms. Kunene has extensive experience in education and development work.  She started her teaching career in the mid-80s in KwaZulu Natal Province.  She moved to Mpumalanga and worked at Elijah Manjo College of Education as a teacher trainer.

She worked at the University of Natal in the Curriculum Development Unit whilst pursuing a Masters degree.  She worked briefly for the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) before joining Oxford University Press and later the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) as a trainer and materials developer.

Her last employment before joining MGSLG was with the Management of Schools Training Programme (MSTP) as Deputy National Director. In this capacity she managed a USAID-funded project in the Limpopo Province in the fields of governance, management, curriculum and district capacity building.