Head, Zulu Coast Film Office

Noxy Mavundla is dynamic, warm, funny and exciting. Her work spans many of the topics that are important to South African people and she’s won awards, won hearts and is now bringing the local film industry to glorious, multi-coloured life.

One of her stand-out films has to be The Zulu Maiden, a stunning documentary that got people talking.

“The motion picture medium is diverse and allows for varied subjects to be addressed from the perspectives of entertainment, activism and things that affect communities,” says Mavundla. “I have chosen this medium to address real issues that impact our nation and feel strongly about poverty, unemployment, the high increase in teenage pregnancies and the prevalence of HIV and Aids.”

An imaginative mind, a passion for film and a successful run at the AFDA film school have seen Mavundla through to her role at the Zulu Coast Film Office. She gained a lot of experience working in Johannesburg, but as a rural-born girl from KwaZulu-Natal she felt it was important to bring her skills and experience to the younger generation at home.

“The cycle has to be broken, we can no longer continue to relocate from our communities of origin because of lack of employment opportunities,” says Mavundla. “We need to create these opportunities ourselves and I want to be among the few who pioneer this mind-set.”

She is focused on bringing skills development and training to a level where the youth can be self-sustainable entrepreneurs.

“Young South Africans must stop nursing themselves, having a mentor should be compulsory,” she adds. “Mentors will push them out of their comfort zones and my goal is to be that person for my region.”

The Zulu Coast Film Office has some exciting partnerships on the horizon and under her leadership is bound to see real change and growth. Her personal adage is: “You’re uniquely okay, never be apologetic for being you.”
— Tamsin Oxford

LinkedIn: Noxy Mavundla