I am pleased to nominate Miss Xolile Charmaine Zondi for election to the University of Cape Town Convocation. Charmaine is a distinguished social impact practitioner whose career reflects integrity, strategic leadership, and a deep commitment to strengthening public-purpose institutions. She currently serves as the Founding Director of Luqa Development Consulting, where she leads complex projects in impact measurement, social investment strategy, and programme design for companies, foundations, and development organisations. Her work emphasises the use of data, context, and community voice to shape equitable and sustainable outcomes.

Charmaine’s leadership record is extensive. As former CEO of enke: Make Your Mark, she guided a national youth organisation through a critical transition, strengthening partnerships, navigating organisational change, and ensuring continuity of impact. At Tshikululu Social Investments, she managed major philanthropic portfolios demonstrating her capacity for governance, oversight, and strategic clarity. She has also held influential roles at the Market Theatre Foundation and Trialogue, where she supported stakeholder alignment, reporting, and impact storytelling across diverse sectors. She was also part of the Solidarity Fund Humanitarian response on a secondment from March 2020. She is currently part of the Citizen Leader Lab programme, where she supports school leadership at Buyani Primary School in Umlazi, reinforcing her belief that strong institutions are built through collaboration, accountability, and local insight.

In the development sector in South Africa, she is respected for her integrity, analytical rigour, and commitment to transformation. She brings a balanced perspective shaped by experience across nonprofit, public, and corporate environments. Her ability to engage constructively with stakeholders, translate complex issues into clear insights, and advocate for inclusive, values-driven governance will be an asset to the Convocation.

I nominate Xolile Charmaine Zondi with full confidence that she will serve with thoughtfulness, dedication, and a strong commitment to UCT’s mission of excellence, transformation, and public purpose.

Zamaswazi Madonsela - Nominator