Dr T Makanya

Dr Thembelihle Makanya is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader in Social Work, School of Social Sciences. Her scholarship seeks to advance socially just and contextually relevant social work education by interrogating coloniality in higher education and exploring African epistemologies as resources for transforming social work education and practice. Dr Makhanya has published extensively in peer-reviewed national and international journals and contributed to scholarly books and book chapters, with her recent research addressing climate-related disasters, flood survivors, and green social work. In recognition of her contribution to social work education, Dr Makhanya received the 2026 Social Work Education Award from the Africa Social Work and Development Network, recognising her work in advancing African-centred and decolonial approaches to social work education.