PhD Students

Osabuohien Clifford Uwuoruya is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Sociology at the Nelson Mandela University. His research interests include African sociological theory, African intellectuals' studies, and the sociology of popular music. Clifford's PhD is focused on positioning Fela Kuti as an intellectual in post-colonial Nigeria, through the ontological lens of Orunmilaist perspective rooted in Yoruba Ifa Orature, and the epistemic approach of Tibitire logic, developed by Professor Jimi Adesina. Clifford was a Lecturing Assistant at the Department of Sociology and is currently a Research Assistant at both the Engagement Office, as well as the Transformation Office at the University.

Mzoli Mavimbela is a Xhosa male Social Worker by profession and is currently residing in George, Western Cape. He is a poet, ethnographic researcher, translator, editor, newspaper columnist, and an award-winning author who grew up in Port St Johns, Eastern Cape. He completed Social Work degree at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in 2014. He completed his Masters of Social Work (Research) cum laude at Nelson Mandela University in 2021 and his study focused on the views of amakrwala on the meaning of umqombothi and commercial alcohol use during the initiation ceremonies, since he is more passionate about indigenous knowledge systems. In 2022 he registered for PhD in Anthropology at Nelson Mandela University to explore the socio-cultural context of amaMpondo, their dress, family system, language, and genealogy.

Qhama Noveve is. PhD candidate in the department with her thesis titled: An exploration of governance praxes in understanding gender transformation in higher education institutions in South Africa: A case study of Nelson Mandela University. Located in the interdisciplinary fields of critical university studies and gender/feminist studies, this institutional ethnographic study attempts to understand and answer transformation questions as it relates to gender and how higher education as a sector can better understand, and craft socially just responses to foster academic citizenship. Nelson Mandela University as a case study, the research hopes to provide lessons for cognate institutions and to develop foundations for how we contribute to decolonization as part of the university’s transformation agenda.

Qhama’s research interests are in higher education studies, gender, women and feminist studies, African and indigenous philosophy, sociology of education, and sociology of gender.

Bayanda Laqwela holds a Bachelor of Social Work, and MA Sociology from Nelson Mandela University. His Master’s thesis explored the topic of Youth Subcultures, particularly Izikhothane in Port Elizabeth. Out of the MA thesis, he co-authored a paper, Youth sub-cultural and identity formation in Port Elizabeth Townships, South Africa, published in one of the international journals. He is pursuing his Ph.D. in Sociology, and his research focuses on Oceans Ecosystem services and accessibility in the coastal communities of Mpondoland.

Daniel Oyebode Akintola is a registered student of PhD in Biblical and Religious Studies in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Nelson Mandela University. His doctoral research focuses on the title “Using Pulpit as a Platform for Peace Building in Nigeria: Church Leader's Roles in Religious Conflict Resolution.” He bagged his Master’s degree in Missiology from the University of South Africa, Pretoria. He also obtained his first Bachelor’s degree in Missiology from the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso, Nigeria. His second Bachelor’s degree in Christian Religious Studies was from Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Nigeria.  Daniel’s research interests are Christian-Muslim Encounters, Intercultural Theology, Interfaith, Cultural Anthropology and Intercultural communication especially in African context, Christian Mission, Religious Conflict and Resolution, Strategies for Christian outreach, and Sociology of Religions. 

Nomawethu Vamva is currently a PhD Sociology student at the Nelson Mandela University. Nomawethu holds a BA degree, a BA Honours Sociology degree and a Master’s Sociology in Research degree where she obtained these at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and the Nelson Mandela University. Nomawethu’s research interests are in health, health sociology to be specific. For her Master’s her research topic was based on the “Job satisfaction at a public hospital in the Nelson Mandela Bay. Lived experiences of professional nurses.” For her PhD her research topic is “the perceptions and understanding of students of institution of higher learning on mental illness.” Nomawethu has work experience of being a child care worker volunteer at the Eastern Cape Children and Youth Care Centre (2015-2016). Nomawethu was also a journal article research assistant student at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (2016-2016). Nomawethu also has work experience of being a graduate intern at the Human Sciences Research Council (2021-2021).