Degrees Held
- PhD – UKZN
- Master of Social Work – UKZN
- BA Social Work (Hon) – UKZN (former UDW)
Teaching Interests
- Race, Gender & Sexuality Issues in Social Work
- Social Work Practice
Research Interests
- Gender, African sexualities & Sexual agency
- Intersectionality
Selected Publications
Journal Articles
Chapters in Books
Journal Articles
- Khumalo, G., Ngcobo, N., & Sithole, M. S. (2025). Supporting Children and Their Families in Gauteng Public Schools: The Roles of School Social Workers. Social Sciences, 14(7), 407. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14070407
- Bhoola, S., Chetty, D., Ngcobo, N., Moolakkattu, J., & Chathukulam, J. (2025). The Perceptions of the Underlying Determinants of Civil Unrest and Violence in South Africa in July 2021. African Renaissance, 22(1), 329.
- Khumalo, G., Ngcobo, N., & Sithole, M. (2024). The Roles and Responsibilities of School Social Workers in the African Context: A Scoping Review.
- Ngcobo, N., Bhoola, S., Chetty, D., Chathukulam, J. & Moolakattu, J. (2024). Social Cohesion After Looting and Violence: Restoring the Spirit of Ubuntu in the Informal Settlements of Bhambayi, South Africa. African Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies (formerly Ubuntu: Journal of Conflict and Social Transformation), 13(2), 97-119.
- Bhoola, S., Chetty, D., Chathukulam, J., Ngcobo, N. & Moolakattu, J. (2024). Women’s Social Capital and social cohesion in Kerala: The case of Kudumbashree. Journal of Economic and Social Development (JESD) – Resilient Society 11 (2), 157-168.
- Bhoola, S. Chetty, D. Moolakattu, J., Ngcobo, N., & Chathukulam, J. (2024). A Comparative Overview of Elements of Political Economy of Urban Governance in the Global South: The Cases of Ethekwini Municipality (South Africa) and Cochin Municipality (India). Journal of Economic and Social Development (JESD) – Resilient Society 11 (1), 114-129
- Ntuli, S., & Ngcobo, N. (2022). “INTO NJE–IT’S JUST A THING…”: BEING A LESBIAN IN A RURAL AREA. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 58(4), 478-500.
- Raniga, T; Ngcobo, N. (2014). Economic Experiences of Single Mothers in Bhambayi, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Social Work Maatskaplike Werk 50(4) 516-528
- Kasiram, M. I.; Ngcobo, N; Oliphant; E, Roestenburg, W. (2013). HIV/AIDS and Women: African and South African perspective. Indilinga African Journal of Indegenous Knowledge Systems: Revisiting Research Paradigm (12), 62-79.
- Kasiram, M.I.; Ngcobo, N; Mulqueeny, D. (2013). Life Skills for Positive Living in the Face of HIV and AIDS. Alternation Special Edition (11), 255-272.
Chapters in Books
- Ngcobo, N., Mzinyane, B., & Zibane, S. (2023). Responding to concurrent disasters: lessons learnt by social work academics engaging with flood survivors during a COVID-19 pandemic, in South African townships. Joseph, D.D. & Doon, R. (Eds.), The Impact of Climate Change on Vulnerable Populations- Responses to a Changing Environment. Basel: MDPI, 166-184.
- Ngcobo, N (2022). Inevitably Justifiable: Young women’s Gender-Based Violence discourses and evasion strategies in ‘Sugar Daddy’ relationships in an urban university environment. Gopal, N., Chetty, D., Hlalele, D., Gert, K. (Eds). Peace, Safety and Security: African Perspectives. Berlin, Germany: Peter Lang Verlag.
Teaching Expertise
- Introduction to Social Work Practice – SOWK113
- Race, Gender and Sexuality Issues – SOWK405
Professional Membership(S)
- Registered Social Worker (SACSSP) sacssp.co.za – 1022603
Conference Proceedings
- Mthembu, Funeka, Ngwane, Ngcobo, Mlotshwa, Dube & Donga. Gender-Based Violence Disclosures (Izigaxa) of Young Women Enrolled in a Socioeconomic and Curriculum-Based Programme in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Opportunities for integrating Trauma-informed Care. Association of South African Social Work Education Institutions (ASASWEI) at University of Free State, South Africa 10-12 September 2025.
- Poverty and Climate Change in Inanda Township: Balancing Vulnerability and Resilience. Hybrid International Conference on ‘The Nexus Between Security and Economy’: BRICS Perspectives, Howard College Theatre, UKZN, 15 Aug 2024.
- Ngcobo, Zibane & Mzinyane. Unlearning and co-learning in South African townships: An autoethnographic reflection of social work academics who rendered psychosocial interventions to survivors of KZN floods in times of COVID19. ASASWEI Hybrid Colloquium: Social Work Relevance during Times of Climate Change and Disasters: #KZN FLOODS, 28-29 September 2022.
- Zibane, Mpanza, Ngcobo & Zondi. Centering the Africanness in all we do: umuntu ungumuntu ngabantu. ASASWEI Hybrid Colloquium: Social Work Relevance during Times of Climate Change and Disasters: #KZN FLOODS, 28-29 September 2022.
- “Sweetening the Pot: Negotiation of Entry into Sugar-Daddy Relationships by Young Women from an Urban University”. 2nd International Conference on Gender and Sexuality 2019 – Gender Studies 2019, 3rd-4th October 2019, in Bangkok, Thailand
Community Involvement
- Current Board Chairperson of UKZNCORE – Community Outreach and Research NPO.
- Community Engagement Representative – Social Work Discipline
- Member of Ingane-Ke – a forum that explores African centred approaches to raising children. This is chaired by Inkosi Madlala.
- Social Work discipline community engagement representative
- UKZN Community Outreach and Research – Treasurer
Student Supervision
Honours
(4th year NQF Level 8 students)
(4th year NQF Level 8 students)
Masters
(graduated and list of current)
(graduated and list of current)
PhD
Honours
(4th year NQF Level 8 students)
(4th year NQF Level 8 students)
- Supervised over 100 Honuors research projects
Masters
(graduated and list of current)
(graduated and list of current)
- Hlanze Makhosazane 2024. Exploring caregivers’ experiences of children living with Autism in Eswatini.
- Ntuli Shadile 2021. “Transition Experiences of Lesbian Students from Rural Areas to The University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College”
- Thobela Zakhele 2020. “The University of KwaZulu-Natal Third-year male social work students’ experiences of group work practice with school children”
- Masondo Zama 2019. “Experiences of social workers in working with survivors of domestic violence in Ethekwini Cluster”
- Varaden Hannah 2017. “Inappropriate sexual behaviour among boy children in Child and Youth Care Centres: Exploring the child care experiences of caregivers”
PhD
- Khumalo Gift 2025. An exploration of the current state and practice of school social work in the Gauteng Province.