Ms Zikhona Ngqula is a PhD candidate in Environmental Humanities at the University of Cape Town. Her research examines how water governance, ecological degradation, and urban development shape habitability in the Diep River Estuary in Cape Town, focusing on multispecies coexistence, environmental justice, and lived experiences of pollution.

In 2025, she received a Wenner-Gren Foundation Dissertation Fieldwork Grant and the African Studies PhD Support Grant. She has published in DHETaccredited journals and contributes to public-facing media, connecting academic scholarship with environmental advocacy. She was recently named one of the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans in the Climate, Environment, and Energy category. A long-term WaterCAN water tester and citizen scientist, Ms Ngqula monitors water quality in the Diep River catchment and supports environmental stewardship through a local Friends group and community-led conservation initiatives in Cape Town. Her work combines rigorous research with community engagement to promote sustainable water futures.