NDABANKULU: GROUNDED IN COMMUNITY, POWERED BY PURPOSE

By Cuma Pantshwa.

•  ⁠This Women’s Month, the Department of Social Development is honouring women whose leadership, commitment, and service are driving transformation, shaping policy, and anchoring communities.
• The department’s chief director of auxiliary services, Neliswa Ndabankulu, is one such role model.
• She is deeply aware that the challenges women face are not left at the office door and that women’s leadership, support networks, and continued dialogue are important in effecting change.

“I don’t know what a cousin or even this term sibling is … everyone was welcome in our home.” This sentiment, shared by Neliswa Ndabankulu, reflects not only her upbringing in the rural village of Sipaqeni in Flagstaff but also the deep values that continue to shape her decades-long journey in public service.

From the heart of emaMpondweni in the Eastern Cape, where her grandfather served as chief, Ndabankulu grew up in a household that was always open to those in need — the sick, the hungry, the unemployed.

“Community is everything to me,” she says, with a clarity that needs no embellishment. That spirit of ubuntu became the foundation of a lifelong commitment to community development, social justice, and responsive government.

A journey of learning and leadership

With a bachelor’s degree in social work as her starting point, Ndabankulu went on to complete an Honours in psychology, a Master’s in social policy, and in 2023, a Postgraduate Diploma in public management — all while working full-time across various spheres of government and civil society.

“Studying part-time taught me discipline and balance,” she reflects.

“My family gives me strength. I have a strong support structure, and my church community is still what keeps me grounded. And I’ve always prioritised maintaining strong relationships with my colleagues. Those bonds are invaluable.”

She believes in the power of theory and the importance of continuous learning in an ever-evolving public sector.

“I wanted to deeply understand the different areas that make up organisations — from human resources and financial management to strategy and legislation. It has opened my eyes in so many ways.”

From social work to policy influence

Ndabankulu’s career spans over three decades, starting as a social worker and later facilitating rural water access with Mvula Trust, promoting health in schools through the Department of Health, and leading local economic development in the OR Tambo District.

She has contributed to national electrification projects as an electrification manager for the Eastern Cape and as a director for free basic energy and indigent policies in the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, before joining the Department of Social Development in 2014.

Today, she leads as the chief director of auxiliary services, overseeing facilities management, security, and customer care.

A major part of her current focus is the Department of Social Development’s campus project in Salvokop, which aims to bring the department, the South African Social Services Agency, and the National Development Agency under one roof.

“It’s a huge government priority,” she explains, “and we are currently finalising a feasibility study to understand the needs and long-term vision for the fully integrated headquarters in the Salvokop government precinct.”

Overcoming challenges, creating safe spaces

Her rise within a male-dominated and often traditionally minded environment was not without difficulty.

“There were moments I doubted myself,” Ndabankulu reflects. “It was a very hostile space for women at times. But your confidence grows. I had to push through.”

That experience shaped her passion for creating safer, more empowering spaces for women in the workplace.

“There is a group of women here at the Department of Social Development – a sisterhood.

“We allow each other to vent, to be vulnerable. We listen. We lift each other. That support system is vital.”

But Ndabankulu is also deeply aware that the challenges women face are not left at the office door.

“The same issues and pressures women face outside, we face inside the organisation,” she says candidly.

“Women carry the dual burden of societal expectations and professional demands. We are still expected to nurture, to care, to hold the family together — all while leading and delivering at work.”

She believes that the department is making strides, especially with the emergence of more women in leadership and the efforts of platforms like the women’s forum run by the gender unit.

“There’s a new wave of leadership that is levelling the ground. More women are taking up space, and we are beginning to truly believe our voices will be heard.”

However, she emphasises that progress requires constant work.

“We must coach and mentor the younger generation, especially the new women in government. We also need to challenge the persistent stereotypes and rethink traditional roles, not just in society, but within our institutions.”

Her call to action is clear: “We cannot pretend that gender bias is something ‘out there.’ It’s in our systems, in our practices. That’s why women’s leadership, support networks, and continued dialogue are so important.”

Giving back to the village

Despite her national portfolio, Ndabankulu remains deeply rooted in her community.

As a member of the AmaFaku Royal Council back in Mpondoland, she leads the community development pillar. “The work I do here in government trickles down to my village. That’s where my heart is.”

She dreams of returning home one day to focus on grassroots community interventions. “We must give back what we have learned. That is the essence of service.”

A word of thanks and a glimpse forward

To those who supported her academic journey, especially the information and knowledge centre, the library, and specialist colleagues, Ndabankulu is full of gratitude.

“The resources and people around me made the load lighter and possible for me. We need to keep learning from each other. The minds in this department are extraordinary.”

As for what is next, she is considering a PhD, if only the right topic would present itself. And when asked whether she’s a community development specialist, she chuckles: “No! Don’t box me!”

In Ndabankulu, there is a woman who has lived the values of service, who has led at every level of government, and who remains grounded in the people.

As the nation marks 69 years since the historic 1956 Women’s March, Ndabankulu’s journey stands as a living example of the role women continue to play in building inclusive, sustainable futures, both within the public sector and far beyond it.

This August, under the theme “Building Resilient Economies for All,” the Department of Social Development honours her and countless other women whose leadership, commitment, and service are driving transformation, shaping policy, and anchoring communities.