About Dr. Mona

I am a multidisciplinary academic, decolonial scholar, artist, and social justice activist from Mzansi Afrika. My work sits at the intersections of education, indigenous knowledge systems, and the creative arts. As a Lecturer at the University of Cape Town, I teach and research across African Studies, Cultural and Heritage Studies, and Curriculum Studies.
My PhD research focuses on social justice, decoloniality, and curriculum transformation, with a particular interest in how African epistemologies and indigenous languages can reshape learning spaces to affirm dignity, agency, and belonging. As a translanguaging practitioner, I work through more than eight South African languages, using multilingualism as both a pedagogical strategy and an act of language justice.
I serve on the South African National Commission for UNESCO (Culture Sector Committee), where I contribute to cultural policy development, heritage preservation, creative economy strengthening, and initiatives that foster intercultural dialogue locally and globally.
Beyond academia, I curate and direct the Kulani Arts Project — a community-rooted initiative that integrates performance, research, storytelling, and indigenous knowledges. Through this work, I seek to bridge academia and society, using theatre, music, and other cultural practices as transformative tools for education, healing, and social change.
My work reflects a deep commitment to:
Decolonial educational practices
Decolonial and community-engaged scholarship
Cultural and linguistic justice
Social transformation through arts and heritage
Youth development and creative knowledge production
I am passionate about creating learning, cultural, and artistic spaces where African identities, languages, and worldviews can thrive — shaping more just, inclusive, and liberated futures for our communities.