Mrs. Busisiwe Madikizela-Theu is a lecturer and researcher in Social Work at Nelson Mandela University and a PhD scholar at the University of Fort Hare. Her research focuses on community engagement, Shared Value, Value Co-Creation, and the Sustainable Development Goals. She specialises in qualitative research and participatory action methods, particularly in gender dynamics, rural development, and the empowerment of young women. She is a peer-reviewed published author and has presented her research at international conferences. She was awarded the DVC-Research Partnership and Innovation Grant at the University of Fort Hare to complete her PhD studies in 2023.
Mrs. Madikizela-Theu serves on the Advisory Board for the Bachelor of Social Sciences programme at the University of the Free State. She also serves on the Advisory Board for the Young Social Workers Network South Africa and is the Managing editor of the networks magazine.
She was an Extended Curriculum Programme (ECP) Coordinator at the University of Fort Hare, playing a key role in the student support programs offered in this program. Previously, she lectured in Social Work Research, Entrepreneurial Social Work, and Reflective Social Work at UFH.
Beyond academia, she consulted with Triple C Consulting, collaborating with international organisations such as the United Nations on projects supporting adolescent and young women’s education in East and Southern Africa. She has also dedicated her time to employee wellness through her company, Nzinga Maledzi (PTY) Ltd, supporting organisations like ICAS.
Her expertise and leadership have earned her invitations as a guest speaker, including at Nelson Mandela University George Campus Youth Day clebrations and Standard Bank South Africa’s Women’s Month celebrations. She was also featured on the Women Ready to Lead 2030 podcast with Professor Thuli Madonsela.
Designation:
Lecturer
Email:
busisiwe.madikizela-theu@mandela.ac.za
Contact Number:
0415042037
Faculty:
Health Sciences
Department:
Social Development Professions
Qualifications:
Master of Social Work (Nelson Mandela University); Bachelor of Social Work (University of the Free State).
Professional Memberships:
SACSSP
Orcid ID:
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7171-9192
NRF Rating:
N/A
Research Interests:
Current non-degree Research Projects:
-
IKS Organising Committee for 2025 Conference
Current Final Year Undergraduate/Honours Research Projects:
N/A
Number of currently supervised Masters and PhD candidates (2023 to 2024):
Research Output 2023 to 2024:
N/A
Current Research Collaborations within your Department or Discipline:
N/A
Current Inter-Disciplinary/Multi-Disciplinary/Trans-Disciplinary Research Collaborations:
N/A