Trailblazing cyber law in Africa
- Pascalia Munyewende
CDTA recipient Dr Nomalanga Mashinini made history as the chair of the first-ever African Cyber Law Conference (ACLC).
As a recipient of the Wits Carnegie Diversifying the Academy (CDTA) Programme run by the Wits Transformation and Employment Equity Office, Mashinini led discussion during this groundbreaking initiative that is reshaping the landscape of cyber law on the continent. Her journey from an ambitious idea to a fully realised, impactful event is one that both current and aspiring CDTA recipients can draw inspiration from.
She is a Senior Lecturer in Cyber Law in the Wits School of Law and an advocate for technology law and image rights. Her passion for cyber law was sparked during her Master’s studies, where she began exploring how technology affects personal rights.
Over the years, she delved deep into issues such as artificial intelligence, image rights, deepfakes, and the exploitation of personal data. However, despite attending numerous international conferences in New York, Mexico, and Geneva, she noticed a glaring gap - Africa had no dedicated cyber law conference.
“I could not shake the loneliness that came with going to conferences abroad and realising that we didn’t have a homegrown space for cyber law scholars in Africa,” Mashinini reflected. “Every time I looked at my CV, I noticed that all my conference presentations were happening outside of South Africa. That needed to change.”
Fuelled by this realisation, she envisioned a conference in South Africa that would bring together African scholars, policymakers, and legal practitioners to discuss and shape the future of cyber law on the continent. But turning this vision into reality was no small task. The first challenge? Securing funding. Recognising the potential of her idea, she applied for the National Research Foundation’s Knowledge Interchange and Collaboration Grant. This required meticulous planning, from structuring the conference’s objectives to securing keynote speakers before even receiving funding.
Mashinini spearheaded the process with a formidable team of African female academics, from branding the conference as the African Cyber Law Conference (ACLC) to building its digital presence through a dedicated website. Her determination led to the successful execution of a conference that not only attracted key African scholars but also engaged voices from the UK and India. The response was overwhelming: the conference received 85 abstract submissions and saw participation from over 60 delegates.
足球竞彩app排名ly, she ensured that inclusivity was a core value of ACLC. The conference featured a majority of female keynote speakers, challenging the traditional male dominance in technology law. It also created a multidisciplinary platform, bringing together experts in competition law, tax law, digital finance, and artificial intelligence ethics. Dr Mashinini credits her leadership success to a strong sense of humility and faith. “I had to become small so that the vision could grow. There was no room for my ego - only for the purpose of creating a platform that would foster academic engagement,” she shared.
Her ability to manage tensions, delegate tasks, and maintain professionalism played a key role in ACLC’s success. She envisions ACLC growing into a globally recognised event, positioning Africa as a cyber law leader. She urges CDTA recipients to embrace interdisciplinary collaboration, emphasising that even the smallest ideas, when driven by passion and strategy, can reshape industries. For those aspiring to make an impact, Mashinini’s journey proves that vision, resilience, and boldness can break new ground.
The future of African cyber law is unfolding, and through ACLC, Africa is claiming its place on the global stage.