The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) has announced the appointment of Professor Sinegugu Duma, Dean of Teaching and Learning in the College of Health Sciences, to the Accreditation Committee of the Council on Higher Education (CHE). Duma will serve on the prestigious national body for a five-year term, from 1 April 2026 to 30 April 2031, contributing to the oversight and quality assurance of Higher Education programmes across South Africa.
Her appointment recognises decades of distinguished leadership in nursing education, curriculum development and accreditation processes both nationally and internationally. Notably, she previously served as Chairperson of the South African Nursing Council Accreditation Committee and the Chairperson of the South African Nursing Council Nursing Education Committee, where she played a pivotal role in shaping nursing education regulations and accrediting institutions across southern Africa.
An accomplished academic and researcher, Duma holds a PhD from the University of Cape Town, along with a Master’s in Nursing Education from UKZN. Her academic journey began with foundational nursing and midwifery training at the Natal College of Nursing, followed by advanced qualifications in nursing administration and education from the University of South Africa (Unisa). She has further strengthened her expertise through specialised training in forensic nursing and gender-based violence at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.
Duma is a Fellow of the Academy of Nursing of South Africa and a recipient of the Fundisa Excellence Nursing Research Award, recognising her impactful research in improving care and outcomes for survivors of sexual violence. Her current research focuses on the prevention of sexual violence in diverse settings, including Higher Education Institutions.
A respected leader in the global nursing community, she is a founding member of the South African Forensic Nursing Association and serves on the international advisory committee of the International Association of Forensic Nurses. She is also affiliated with Sigma Theta Tau International and its African Chapter.
Her academic contributions extend beyond South Africa. She serves as an Adjunct Professor at Great Lakes University of Kisumu in Kenya and as foreign faculty at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and Stanford University, where she teaches on gender-based violence as a public health issue.
Before joining UKZN, Duma held several senior leadership roles at the University of Cape Town, including Head of the Division of Nursing and Midwifery and Deputy Director of Postgraduate Programmes. She also established and led the country’s first Campus Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), a multidisciplinary initiative supporting survivors of sexual violence in university settings.
A prolific scholar, Duma has supervised numerous postgraduate students, authored a book on sexual assault, contributed chapters to leading medical and nursing texts, and published widely in peer-reviewed journals. She is a sought-after speaker at national and international conferences.
Professor Busisiwe Ncama, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Head of the CHS said, “Hearty congratulations to Professor Duma. Her appointment to the CHE Accreditation Committee underscores UKZN’s continued contribution to shaping the future of Higher Education in South Africa and advancing excellence in teaching, learning, and research. We are so proud of her.”
