The New South Institute is pleased to welcome new talent to its growing team.

Kanyisa Tolashe – Project Manager, Public Service Reform Programme

Kanyisa Tolashe joins the Public Service Reform programme as a Project Officer. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Project Management and is currently pursuing her honours degree in Public Administration at the Management College of South Africa (MANCOSA). Kanyisa brings with her a wealth of professional experience across various public institutions. She has previously served in the Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements as a project manager (Hands-on Support) and at the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality as an administrator and personal assistant to the MMC. Her core areas of expertise include project finance, programme and project management, stakeholder engagement and strategic management. Over the years, Kanyisa has led several projects at both the departmental and municipal levels, demonstrating strong leadership and a results-driven approach. Her addition to the NSI team is a valuable step forward in advancing our public-sector reform efforts.

Daphney Chuma – Advocacy Officer

Daphney Chuma is a seasoned communication executive with over 25 years of progressive leadership experience in both middle and senior management roles. She specialises in strategic corporate communications, advocacy, reputation and brand management, stakeholder and community engagement, and media relations, with an extensive career largely rooted in South Africa’s public and developmental sectors.

She holds a BA in Communication from the University of Fort Hare. She further strengthened her professional career by acquiring two honours degrees, one in Corporate Communications from the University of South Africa and another in Strategic Brand Communications from the IIE VEGA School of Brand Leadership. Over and above, she obtained numerous qualifications in public relations and marketing management from the Damelin Management School and UNISA School of Business Management, respectively, reflecting her commitment to continuous professional development.

Throughout her career, she conceptualised and led the implementation of integrated communication, advocacy and stakeholder engagement strategies that directly supported the vision and mission of key government departments and public entities. Her roles at Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), Office of the Premier: Eastern Cape, Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA), and the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) gave her a deeper understanding of the country’s communication landscape.

In many of these roles, she served as the official spokesperson, representing the organisation in high-stakes communication environments and managing complex reputational encounters. Her expertise extends beyond developing and implementing stakeholder engagement and corporate communication strategies, but encompass diverse areas such as marketing communications, brand building and brand positioning, with a proven ability to drive brand equity and manage multi-stakeholder engagement across government and civil society.

With over two decades of experience and strong leadership qualities, coupled with her background across various government and public entities, she is poised to be an asset in driving the New South Institute (NSI) advocacy and communication strategies that are anchored in strategic insight, policy-aligned messaging and stakeholder-centric engagement approaches aimed at elevating the NSI brand visibility and public trust.