Nokwethaba Makhanya is the Project Manager for output IV of the JUST SA programme, a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on rehabilitating mine-polluted water and restoring degraded soils in Mpumalanga. She leads the coordination of project activities, stakeholder engagement and technical partnerships aimed at addressing the environmental and social legacies of mining in the region.

Her work intersects with South Africa’s broader just transition agenda, drawing on experience supporting dialogue platforms, applied research processes and implementation efforts that prioritise fairness, inclusion and environmental restoration. Nokwethaba has contributed to initiatives focused on water risk assessment, climate adaptation and land-based rehabilitation, ensuring that interventions are grounded in both science and local realities.

She is committed to advancing inclusive, evidence-based approaches that restore ecosystems, improve water and soil health, and create opportunities for communities affected by extractive industries.