Women’s Month honour for arts leader who advances equality, social justice and academic excellence

Few academic leaders have shaped education, scholarship and social advocacy as consistently as Prof Nalini Moodley. With more than three decades of experience and a career dedicated to gender equality, mentorship and the transformative power of the arts, she continues to influence both higher education and society, most recently using the Dr Sam Nzima Memorial Lecture to highlight how visual culture can preserve memory, inspire dialogue and drive social change.

Prof Moodley, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Design. Prof Moodley, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Design at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), an academic leader, scholar, mentor and advocate for social justice, now serves her second term as Executive Dean after five years as Assistant Dean. One of the University's most influential female leaders, she has dedicated her distinguished career to expanding opportunities for others while demonstrating how education and the arts can contribute to meaningful social change. Her work reflects a commitment to academic excellence, gender equality, cultural leadership and the development of future generations of scholars and creative practitioners.

Prof Moodley's influence extends far beyond the University, as was clearly demonstrated during her keynote address at the sixth annual Dr Sam Nzima Memorial Lecture. Reflecting on the enduring relevance of the iconic photograph of Hector Pieterson, she highlighted the role of visual culture in preserving historical memory and encouraging critical engagement with South Africa's past. She used the occasion to remind audiences that education, memory and social consciousness remain deeply connected.

According to Prof Moodley, 2026 coincides with several defining moments in South Africa's history, including 70 years since the 1956 Women's March, 50 years since the June 16 Soweto Uprising and 30 years of the country's Constitution. She reflected on how these events have, and continue to shape democratic values, social justice and the role of education in society.

Her commitment to advancing social justice is equally evident in her leadership at TUT. As former Chairperson of the Women's Leadership Forum and Senate-elected Chairperson of the Task Team on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, she played an important role in the development and approval of TUT's Policy on the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.

Prof Moodley also leads the Faculty's research niche, Addressing Gender-Based Violence through Artivism, which creates opportunities for academics, students, artists, activists and communities to engage social issues through creative expression. The initiative has grown into a significant platform for scholarship, dialogue and social awareness and includes the Faculty's annual Gender-Based Violence Symposium.

Her passion for the arts as a catalyst for transformation is further reflected in the TUT Arts Festival, which she conceptualised in 2018. Now in its eighth year, the festival showcases artistic excellence, celebrates student and staff creativity and strengthens engagement between the University and the wider community.

Alongside her leadership and scholarship, Prof Moodley remains deeply committed to mentorship. She supervises master's and doctoral students, mentors postdoctoral fellows and supports women academics and emerging researchers both within TUT and nationally.

Across her academic, institutional and cultural leadership, Prof Moodley embodies the spirit of Women's Month - leadership that empowers others, challenges inequality and creates opportunities for future generations to thrive.