BIOSKETCHDr. Nontokozo Mbatha is a lecturer in the Discipline of Speech-Language Therapy at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). She is a highly experienced Speech-Language Therapist with over 20 years of experience, including 17 years in the public sector. In her academic role at UKZN, she is deeply invested in student success and mentorship, guiding both undergraduate and postgraduate students to become critical thinkers and compassionate clinicians.
She teaches in the undergraduate programme and supervises clinical practice and research projects. As the postgraduate research coordinator in the discipline, she is responsible for the strategic oversight and administration of the postgraduate research program, ensuring a seamless and supportive research environment that upholds the high academic quality of the discipline’s scholarly output. Dr. Mbatha’s research is focused on childhood developmental disability, with a particular interest in language learning disabilities and literacy.
A key area of her work is developing and implementing interventions to support caregivers of children with developmental disabilities, with a strong focus on parental self-efficacy. She is driven by a commitment to equitable healthcare and is passionate about empowering caregivers and children in under-resourced communities. Her work extends beyond the university, where she collaborates with community organisations to translate her research into practical interventions that improve the lives of children and families. Her scholarly contributions include serving as a principal investigator and co-investigator on university-funded grants and producing peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Mbatha is eager to collaborate with other researchers in communication disorders, disability studies, and public health.
