Professor Mzikayise Binza joined Welkom Campus as the new Director of Academic Enterprise and Services on 03 February 2025. Reporting to the Office of the Welkom Campus Principal, Prof. Binza is responsible for developing and implementing academic strategies to enhance student learning, teaching experiences, and overall academic outcomes. He will lead the development of niche programmes and research initiatives, foster internal and external collaborations, and drive alignment within the Welkom Campus academic project.

Spanning more than 20 years’ experience in higher education and training, Prof. Mzikayise Binza, has worked at various universities in South Africa including Walter Sisulu University (WSU) as Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic Affairs and Research, Dean: Faculty of Business and Management Sciences at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) and held positions of Director, Head of Department and Programme Leader.

He was a Political Commissar and a Special Advisor to the Hon. Mr Mphakamisi Raymond Mhlaba during his time as Premier of the Eastern Cape Province and Commissioner/ Ambassador to Rwanda.  He further served as Policy Advisor to Ministers, Premiers and Executive Mayors of the democratic government of South Africa on special programmes. He is also a media commentator on service delivery, political economy, Africa’s liberation, conflict and transformation, the African Peer Review Mechanism, governance, local government, diplomacy, and democracy.

He was a NRF rated researcher from 2011-2016, with over 30 research publications in a form of a book, book chapters, articles and conference proceedings in accredited and peer reviewed international and national journals.

Prof. Binza holds a PhD in Public Administration from Nelson Mandela University and has supervised 15 postgraduate students (4 Doctoral and 11 master’s students). He is an entrepreneur and serves in the Boards of Nautilus Hotels and Raymond Mhlaba Trust Fund.