Zukiswa Zingela
Born in 1969. National of South Africa. Associate Professor and Executive Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences, Nelson Mandela University, South Africa (since 2021).
Master of Medicine, Psychiatry (University of Pretoria); Fellow of the College of Psychiatrists of South Africa, PhD, Psychology (Nelson Mandela University).
Serves on the Medical and Dental Board of the Health Professions Council of South Africa and is also the Chairperson of the Health Committee of the Medical and Dental Board. Also serves as Deputy Chairperson of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Mental Health.
Previously held positions as Head, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University and Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital, Eastern Cape Department of Health (2015-2021); Leader of the Dean's Advisory Committee in charge of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University (2016-2017); Head of Clinical Unit, Dora Nginza Hospital, Eastern Cape Department of Health, and Senior Lecturer at Walter Sisulu University (2011-2015); Specialist Psychiatrist in private practice (2003-2008); Consultant Psychiatrist, Blackpool North Community Mental Health Team, National Health Service, United Kingdom (2003-2008). Duties in the above-mentioned posts included training of undergraduate medical students and postgraduate students in psychiatry with an emphasis on addiction psychiatry and substance use, providing substitution treatment for patients with opioid use-related disorders, neuropsychiatry, consultation liaison psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, old age psychiatry, psychopharmacology and public mental health. Honours: Chairperson of the Board of the Ernest Malgas Youth Treatment Centre (Rehabilitation for Substance Abuse) (2016-2018); Chairperson of the South African Society of Psychiatrists, Eastern Cape Subgroup (2016-2018); Chairperson of Walter Sisulu University Registrar Training and Implementation Committee (2015-2018); Chairperson of Task Team appointed by the Head of Department of the Eastern Cape Department of Health to investigate allegations of patient abuse in Tower Psychiatric Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre, with the investigative report delivered to Minister of Health in 2018.
Author and co-author of numerous publications, including "First-episode psychosis and substance use" (authors: Thungana and Zingela (supervisor) and van Wyk (co-supervisor)), South African Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 24 (2018); "Personality and personality disorder" (co-authors: Nagdee, Grobler and Zingela), chapter in Oxford Textbook of Psychiatry for Southern Africa (J. Burns and L. Roos, eds.), 2nd ed., 2016).
Member of the steering committee for the establishment of rehabilitation for substance abuse (Ernest Malgas Youth Treatment Centre) (2012-2015); consultant, consultation committee on the implementation of the Prevention of and Treatment of Substance Abuse Act. Advised, on a voluntary basis, the Ernest Malgas Youth Treatment Centre on implementation of the Prevention of and Treatment of Substance Abuse Act and support for starting the rehabilitation programme (2015); established a mental health outreach programme for the Ernest Malgas Youth Treatment Centre offering assessment and interventions (since 2016); facilitated support from the Department of Health to the local drug action committee through the allocation of a multidisciplinary staff member (clinical psychologist) to serve on the committee (2014-2016).
Fifteenth Biannual National Congress of the South African Society of Psychiatrists, 2018 (presented a paper on first episode psychosis and substance abuse (authors: Thungana, Zingela and van Wyk)); substance abuse assessment and intervention: provincial training organized by Walter Sisulu University and Eastern Cape Department of Health, 2017; Seventh African Population Conference, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2015 (presented a paper on school-based substance abuse awareness programmes (authors: Zingela, Bronkhorst and Ngwetsheni) and a paper on the integration of the South African Master Drug Plan Policy and Mental Health Policy Framework and Strategic Plan (author: Zingela)); National Substance Abuse Colloquium, 2015 (chaired and presented a paper on aftercare, outpatient and maintenance services for substance abuse); Substance Abuse Colloquium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa, in preparation for the opening of the Ernest Malgas Youth Treatment Centre, 2015 (organizer).
Member of the International Narcotics Control Board (since 2020) [1]. Second Vice-President and Chair (2023), Vice-Chair (2021) and member (2020) of the Standing Committee on Estimates. First Vice-President of the Board (2022). Rapporteur (2024).
[1] Elected by the Economic and Social Council on 7 May 2019; re-elected by the Council for a five-year term (2025-2030) on 9 April 2024.