Position : Professor & HOD
Telephone : 035 902 6072
Email : ZharareG@unizulu.ac.za
Office : HA1, Agriculture Building, KwaDlangezwa Campus
Biography:
Dr. Khanyiso Nkumanda is a Lecturer in the Department of Hydrology at the University of Zululand. He is a Professional Natural Scientist (Pr.Sci.Nat.) in Water Resource Science with extensive experience in groundwater hydrology, environmental management, hydrogeological modelling, and climate change adaptation. His work focuses on groundwater-surface water interactions, mine water governance, acid mine drainage, and integrated water resource management in South Africa.
Dr. Nkumanda teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses in hydrology and water resources and supervises student research across the hydrological, hydrogeological and environmental sciences.
Qualifications:
- PhD Environmental & Water Science (Hydrogeology) – UWC
- MSc Aquatic Health (Ecohydrological Sciences) – UJ
- BScHons Geohydrology – UFS
- PGD Integrated Water Resource Management – UWC
- BSc Applied Geology – UWC
Research interests:
Prof Zharare’s current research interests is on commercialization and domestication of indigenous fruit and essential oil plants. includes developing fruit products for commercialization, identifying plants with potential for vegetable oil and essential oil production, optimising extraction protocols for the oils and assessing the growth requirements of the plants. He is currently researching on developing commercial products from fruits of Strychnos species and Saba comorensis with the intention of developing the plants into horticultural crops.
Prof Zharare has previously worked on the agronomy of the groundnut crop with emphasis on its mineral nutrient requirements and its major pest, the groundnut leaf miner from which his has produced numerous publications.
Professional membership:
- South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions as a Professional Scientist (SACNASP)