Bheki Mngomezulu was born and bred at Ingwavuma in rural far northern KwaZulu-Natal. He is a full Professor of Political Science and International Relations. He joined the Centre for the Advancement of Non-Racialism and Democracy (CANRAD), Nelson Mandela University, as new Director in January 2023. Prof. Mngomezulu holds seven academic degrees in Political Science, History and Education and a Senior Secondary Teachers Diploma (SSTD) from three South African universities. He obtained his Ph.D. and one of his three MA degrees from Rice University in Texas, USA. His other degrees include a Bachelor of Education (B. Ed.), two Honours degrees in History and Political Science, and two MA degrees. Prof. Mngomezulu was invited as a Visiting Professor at European universities in Romania and in Sweden. While in the US, he was a Teaching and Research Assistant.
Prof. Mngomezulu is a transdisciplinary scholar with research interests in international relations, foreign policy, comparative politics, higher education, elections, identity politics, traditional leadership and local government, among others. He has published and presented academic papers in these areas. He also supervised and examined postgraduate dissertations from more than 10 universities. His scholarly work includes six books, 16 book chapters and some 40 journal articles in accredited journals. Moreover, Prof. Mngomezulu has published more than 100 other articles in various publications and penned over 200 opinion and commissioned pieces. He has carried out commissioned research projects for various organisations.
Among his work experiences, Prof. Mngomezulu was the Deputy Dean of Research in Economic and Management Sciences at the University of the Western Cape, a CEO of the Mzala Nxumalo Centre for the Study of South African Society in KwaZulu Natal, a Senior Lecturer and Academic Leader at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and a Faculty Research Coordinator at the Durban University of Technology (DUT).
He has worked with several academic and research bodies, including the International Political Science Association (IPSA); South African Association of Political Scientists (SAAPS); Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA); Economic History Society of Southern Africa (EHSSA); Southern African Comparative and History of Education Society (SACHES), among others. He served as President of EHSSA between 2013 and 2018.
Some media analysis and other activities:
Prof. Mngomezulu is a regular political analyst for various media houses nationally and internationally. These include radio, television and newspapers. He has published over 200 opinion pieces on various themes in publications such as: The African, Contemporary Africa Review, Conversation. Independent Online, and many English and isiZulu newspapers. Prof. Mngomezulu also does presentations for organisations such as the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), Democracy Development Programme (DDP) and many others.
Monographs:
2016, Strive for excellence: A social and political history of Georgetown High School (Pietermaritzburg: Mzala Centre Publishing).
2012, Politics and higher education in East Africa from the 1920s to 1970 (Bloemfontein: Sun Media).
2010, Flying to the heights: A social and political history of Juba Primary School (Germany: LAP Lambert Publishing).
Edited volumes:
2020, Foreign Policy Posture in Post-apartheid South Africa: Consistencies and Ambiguities (Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing).
2018 (with Dr. B. Tema), Nelson Mandela’s Values (Cape Town: Penguin Books).
2013, The President-for-Life Pandemic in Africa: Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Zambia and Malawi (London: Adonis & Abbey).