Bio: Dr E M Mnguni is a senior lecturer and the Head of Hospitality and Tourism Department where he is responsible for managing tourism, hospitality, and catering programmes as well as a commercial restaurant and conference centre. As part of his community engagement, he served as Chairperson of Tourism in Umzumbe municipality area, Executive member of convocation, Senate representative in the Institutional Forum (IF) and Executive member of Tourism Educators of South Africa (TESA).He holds a Doctor of Tourism and Hospitality degree from Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), a Master’s Degree in Food and Beverage Management from Durban University of Technology (DUT) and also boasts 11 years of industry experience in which he held a Training Director position. He is currently a member of South African Chefs Association (SACA). In terms of international collaboration, he has facilitated two MoUs and has been a visiting professor in numerous international universities. Dr Mnguni has published in the area of cultural tourism, food tourism, community based tourism and indigenous food system. Dr Mnguni is also an initiator and cofounder of the International Research Group (IRG).

Bio: Ms Mncwabe holds a Master’s Degree in Marketing Management from the Durban University of Technology and is pursuing her LLB in UKZN. Ms Mncwabe is very passionate about reaching out and making a different into students’ lives, one can misunderstand her into being a social worker. Her role in the Department is to oversee student’s queries, office administration and support.

Bio: Dr Reshmna Sucheran is a Senior Lecturer and Research Chair in the department. She has a PhD in Geography and Environmental Management from UKZN. She started her academic career in 1994 at UKZN and has more than 27 years’ experience in higher education. She lecturers in the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, has supervised several postgraduate students, and has presented at international conferences. Dr Sucheran also has many journal article publications to her credit. Her academic and research interests include sustainable (tourism) development, environmental management and climate change in the tourism sector, tourism education, crises and disaster management in tourism and research methodology.

Courses Currently Teaching: 
Tourism Development 1
Tourism Development 3
Tourism Development 4

Research and Innovation focus: Sustainable tourism development, environmental management, climate change, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and responsible tourism.

Bio: Jaya Naidoo served the hospitality & tourism industry for over 40 years and was afforded a scholarship to Mauritius where he spent time lecturing, touring, and understanding the islands’ hospitality & tourism industry. He travelled extensively globally, and his favorite destination is Disney World – Florida (USA). His collaboration with Disney World dates back to 1990 and annually places students for one year internship. Jaya Naidoo is a programme and site accreditation evaluator for The Council of Higher Education (CHE). He was one of the main judges for the Lilizela awards for the service excellence category.He currently serves as an executive board member and trustee of FEDHASA – East Coast He belongs to a number of professional bodies and is a quality assessor for the mystery guest programme for hospitality industry. He serves on the advisory board of The International Hotel |School (IHS). Jaya Naidoo’s strengths are team building, training, developing and mentoring students. He is passionate about the hospitality and tourism industry and strives for quality and service excellence. His spare time is dedicated to community outreach programmes.

Bio: Dr. Rekha Maniram is an academic, credited with almost three decades of diverse higher education experience. Attaining a Ph.D. in Business Education from UKZN, recently, she has begun with postgraduate supervision and presented papers at both National and International conferences. Her research interests include Hospitality Finance; Authentic learning; and Entrepreneurship. At present, Dr. Maniram serves at various structures of the university.

Bio: Nduduzo Ngxongo is a lecturer in the School of Hospitality & Tourism at the Durban University of Technology. He obtained his PhD in Hospitality and Tourism at DUT, where he now lectures first-year, Advanced, and Postgraduate Diploma students on Project Management, Regional Tourism Geography, Technological Applications, and Research Methodology & Project. His primary areas of interest include multidisciplinary research on recent historical events and current climate change complexities that have impacted the sustainability of tourism operators and the potential for mitigating associated risks/threats within the tourism sector in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (ETH).

Bio: Dr Gangiah has a Master’s and MPhil in Food Service Management and Dietetics. She is a leader in the field of Food Service Management at the Durban University of Technology. She is publishing a book on “Environmental Ergonomics: Commercial Kitchens in a Semi-Tropical City”. She has won the Dean’s Award as a Top Researcher in 2021. As a PTL for Catering, her activities focused on maintain zero infection rate in kitchen practicals and decolonisation. Her work also includes pollution during cooking in commercial kitchens as well as in rural areas with cookstoves. She has been involved in franchising Indian restaurants in South Africa. She is an Advisory Board member of Sports Performance Assessment Rehabilitation Research Counselling Institute (SPARRC), India.

Bio: Nozipho Prudence Sibiya is a lecturer in the Tourism Program. She has a Master’s Degree in Tourism and Recreation (MRT), as well as, a Bachelor of Education degree. She is currently pursuing her PhD studies specializing in Hospitality and Tourism. Her research focus areas include Community Based Tourism, Events Tourism and Tourism Education. She lectures Tourism Marketing, Events Management and Service Excellence to Tourism Diploma students. She also lectures Advanced Services Management to Advanced Diploma students. She is the curriculum development champion for the Tourism Diploma and Advanced Diploma qualification programs in the Tourism Program.

Bio: Zanele Mabaso joined DUT in 2008 as an Ecotourism lecturer based in the Midlands Riverside campus. Thereafter, in 2015, she was transferred to the Hospitality and Tourism department at the Ritson campus in Durban. She has 14 years lecturing experience in Tourism Development, Management and Entrepreneurship. Zanele holds a Master’s Degree in Tourism development and management and currently completing her PhD in female leadership in Higher Education.

Bio: Mohamed Munnir Mohamed Shaw is a Tourism Lecturer and Work Based Learning Supervisor in the department. Munnir holds a Master of Philosophy Degree. He has 25 years of teaching experience and industry experience. Munnir is currently pursuing his PhD at DUT.

Bio: Miss Mlotshwa has a Masters in Hospitality from DUT. Before joining the university, she worked as an assistant catering manageress at various units in a contract catering company in Durban. In 2001 she joined the university as a laboratory technician, and in 2003 started lecturing. She is responsible for teaching catering and hospitality undergraduates. Her main focus in teaching is Food and Beverage Studies and Commercial Cookery and Costing. Her area of interest in research is food and beverage studies, food costing and culinary.

Bio: Mrs Khuluse is a lecturer with over 20 years of lecturing experience in the Department of Hospitality and Tourism at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) in Durban, and at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in Cape Town. She is an alumnus of DUT where she holds a Master of Applied Sciences in Food & Nutrition and currently registered for Doctor of Philosophy in Management Sciences (Specialising in Hospitality).Dawn’s teaching and learning portfolio extends to various undergraduate subjects at DUT and at (CPUT). Her area of specialisation includes Culinary Studies, Hygiene and Nutrition. This sparked Dawn’s research interests which stretches across areas of food safety, hygiene practices and the nutritional value of food served by vendors. She has also shared and presented this valid research at a local conference in Durban. As part of her research Dawn has published three research articles thus far, two were published by South African journals and one by an International Journal.

Bio: Ronelle Crocker joined DUT as a Hospitality and Catering Management Lecturer in 2010. She holds a Degree of Master of Management Sciences specializing in Hospitality and Tourism from DUT. Her core functions at DUT include lecturing, student academic administration and curriculum development. She also has many years of lecturing experience in Food facilities planning and Food Safety. Her research interests are in the field of food safety, food waste and food security.

Bio: With over twelve years teaching at the Durban University of Technology Geraldine Fynn-Green has experience in both practical and theory-based modules. She holds a Degree of Master of Management Sciences specializing in Hospitality and Tourism from Durban University of Technology. Helping undergraduate students develop cooking skills and instilling an appreciation of ingredients is one of this lecturers’ main motivators. Geraldine’s teaching portfolio also extends to post graduate modules and research. Mrs Fynn-Green is currently engaged in developing her PhD proposal with a keen interest is local food systems in the KZN area.

Bio: Thobelani is a Lecturer in Hospitality with over 14 years industry and lecturing experience. He holds a Degree of Master of Management Sciences specializing in Hospitality and Tourism from DUT. Besides lecturing, Thobelani oversees curriculum development and stakeholder engagement within the department. As a PhD candidate at NWU, Thobelani’s research interest include internal branding, service quality, and behavioural intentions.

Bio: Miss Nokuthula Thandeka Nyezi is a lecturer in the department of Hospitality and Tourism Management. She holds a Degree of Master of Management Sciences specializing in Hospitality and Tourism from DUT, and she is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Management Sciences (Specialising in Hospitality). She lecturers Accommodation Management, Hospitality Housekeeping & Maintenance Operation, Culinary Arts, Front Office Operation, Commercial Cookery, Advanced Hospitality Operations, Events Management and Service Excellence in Hospitality. Miss Nyezi short tenure as a contract lecturer in 2018 and therefore a permanent appointment in 2020. Ms Nyezi has provided and facilitated teaching, learning, and assessment and sought to develop and apply innovative teaching techniques and methods. She is passionate about academia and research.

Bio: Mrs Raeesah Khan is a proud Alumni of the Department of Hospitality and Tourism and joined as a lecturer in 2020. Her qualifications include ND: Catering Management (Cum Laude), BTech: Hospitality Management, Masters in Management Sciences: Hospitality and Tourism from DUT. Acquiring both national and international industry experience, Mrs Khan then ventured into education as a school educator in the Senior and FET phase. She thereafter progressed to private higher education and is now finally home at DUT. Areas of academic interest include Culinary Arts with pastry specialisation, Information systems, Events management, and Consumer protection.

Bio: Mathabo Mpitso-Mosiea have 11 years’ work experience, 2 years industry experience (worked internationally at the Ritz Carlton hotel) and 9 years teaching. She holds PGCE (UNISA), MBA (TUT), BTECH Hospitality (TUT), and NDIP Hospitality (TUT). Research interests are in hygiene, health & safety, and education.

Bio: Zwelethu is a Lecturer in a Department of Hospitality and Tourism, joined DUT 1^st September 2023 coming from WSU with over 9 years industry and lecturing experience. He holds a Degree of Master of Management Sciences specializing in Hospitality and Tourism from DUT. He is currently pursuing his PhD study specializing in Hospitality and Tourism at DUT, Zwelethu’s research niche areas include Customer service, Restaurant operations, Accommodation management, Local economic development and Tourism (LED).  Zwelethu is passionate about the digital economy in hospitality. This is illustrated by Zwelethu’s research-informed teaching which embeds home sharing (Airbnb) and sharing economy into the hospitality curricula. These are all geared towards adding a Pan African dimension to hospitality epistemologies, as well as to the 5th Industrial Revolution (51R) agenda in Africa.

Bio: Joanne Mjoka joined DUT in 2019 and is currently a Restaurant Manager of the Hotel School Restaurant and Conference Centre in the Department of Hospitality and Tourism. She joined the University of Zululand in 2012 as a laboratory assistant, laboratory Technician and part-time lecturer in 2014-2016 and lectured Culinary Studies, Meal Planning and Management, Quantity Food Production, Food and Beverage. She has 13 years of experience in the Hospitality industry. Her qualifications include N4 Management Assistant, B Consumer Science (Hospitality and Tourism), Hons (Hospitality Management). She is currently busy with her Master’s Degree and currently possesses four publications. Her field of interest in research is food and beverage, food safety and hygiene in the foodservice and hospital sector. Her specialization and skills are in Food health and safety, foodservice operation and management, food analysis, indigenous food product development, restaurant management, housekeeping, and events management.

Bio: Phiwokuhle Selomane is the executive chef at the Durban University of Technology’s Hotel School Restaurant & Conference Centre. He has obtained a diploma in culinary arts, B-Tech in Hospitality Management, including several short course programmes in a career spanning over 19 years. Phiwe had the opportunity to work in several sectors of hospitality establishments at home and abroad namely in hospitals, cruise liners, Michelin restaurant, safari, private further education, hotels, casino & higher education.

Bio: Mrs Nompumelelo W.P. Mncube is a graduate from the Hospitality and Tourism department holding a National Diploma in Catering Management. She has fourteen years of experience in industry, including five years spent abroad, where she worked both in the back and front of house.She was also a lecturer at Thekwini TVET College for 4 years.She is currently employed by DUT as a Technician in the Hospitality and Tourism Stores. Her role in the Department is to purchase, receive and issue daily food and beverage requirements to the kitchens, restaurant, and the Conference centre. She also oversees the smooth running of all functions associated with perishable stock and equipment.

Bio: Philani Blessing Buthelezi worked in various food industries operations before joining the Hotel school in 2012 January as a Function Chef on a contract basis. In 2016, he became a kitchen lab assistance on a permanent post. Philani has completed the National Diploma in Carting Management and B-Tech in Food & Beverage management. Philani is currently pursuing his Master’s Degree specializing in Hospitality. Philani have a passion in pastry, especially the chocolate art.

Bio: Mrs Tholakele Mzobe is a DUT Alumni of the Department of Hospitality and TOURISM. She has joined DUT as a Laboratory Assistant in 2014. She holds an undergraduate National Diploma in Catering Management, Advanced Diploma in Business Administration, Postgraduate Diploma in Adult Education. She is currently perusing a Master of Education in Adult Education at UKZN. She has a vast experience totalling to over 25 years in both FIVE Star Hospitality outlets and Lecturing at private and public TVET Colleges. She enjoys working with students and assisting them to identify ingredients and working hand in hand with the designated Lecturer in kitchen Laboratory with stock maintenance, FIFO.

Bio: Asnele Simelane joined DUT in 2019 as Kitchen Laboratory Assistant. Am involved in assisting the students in the kitchen and make sure kitchen preparation before practicals commence. Completed a National Diploma in Catering Management, Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration.