PROFILE UMNGENI-UTHUKELA WATER
A visionary leader for
KZN’ S WATER FUTURE
SANDILE PSYCHOLOGY MKHIZE
As water security shapes regional resilience, Chief Executive Sandile Psychology Mkhize leads KwaZulu-Natal’ s vital infrastructure entity, uMngeni-uThukela Water.
Appointed Chief Executive of uMngeni-uThukela Water in July 2024, Sandile Psychology Mkhize leads South Africa’ s largest bulk potable water supplier, a state-owned entity re-established after the strategic 2023 merger of the former Umgeni and Mhlathuze Water Boards to amalgamate expertise and accelerate service delivery across the province.
Mkhize’ s leadership arrives at a pivotal moment. With climate volatility intensifying drought cycles and ageing infrastructure demanding urgent renewal, his mandate transcends conventional utility management. He champions an integrated water security framework that balances ecological sustainability with socioeconomic development, ensuring that from industrial corridors to rural communities, every municipality and citizen accesses safe, reliable water as a fundamental right.
A seasoned water management specialist with deep infrastructure development expertise, Mkhize brings strategic rigour honed through executive leadership and advanced training at Harvard Business School. His approach fuses technical mastery with stakeholder-centric governance: engaging municipalities as partners, empowering communities through water literacy programmes, and positioning the entity as Africa’ s benchmark for water utility excellence.
sustainability reforms, and a zero-tolerance stance on corruption – rebuilding public trust while navigating complex fiscal constraints.
His philosophy is unambiguous: water is not just a resource; it’ s the bloodstream of KZN’ s economy. Securing this lifeline enables agriculture, industry, tourism, and human dignity to flourish. As chairperson of the entity’ s executive committee, Mkhize mentors a new generation of water professionals, particularly youth and women leaders in the organisation and across subsidiaries Msinsi Holdings and uMngeni Water Services, ensuring institutional knowledge transfer at a time when SA faces many skills challenges.
Mkhize’ s vision extends beyond pipes and reservoirs. He champions water-sensitive urban planning, climate adaptation financing, and making KZN a continental leader in circular water economies. In boardrooms and township meetings, his message resonates: collective responsibility turns scarcity into abundance.
As South Africa confronts its most severe water challenges, Sandile Mkhize embodies the leadership imperative: technically astute, ethically anchored, and hyper-focused on legacy. Under his guidance, uMngeni-uThukela Water is not just delivering water; it is nurturing the foundation for a thriving, water-secure KwaZulu-Natal for generations to come.
Under his leadership, uMngeni-uThukela Water is executing transformative projects across KZN, from enhancing regional supply resilience to advanced wastewater treatment innovations protecting the Indian Ocean coastline. Critically, Mkhize is driving operational excellence through digitalisation, revenue
26 SA PROFILE www. saprofilemagazine. co. za