Ms Nompumelelo Mnisi

Her research lives at the crossroads of climate change, urban resilience, and cutting-edge tech.  Cape Town is a city of contrasts: breathtaking mountains and beaches on the one hand, and on the other, a water supply system that sometimes feels like it’s held together with duct tape and hope. Her work dives into “flood-drought dichotomy,” where we’re battling too much water one day and too little the next—all thanks to climate change, ageing infrastructure, and good ol’ human complexity.
She focusses on innovative, low-cost solutions like IoT-based hydrological monitoring, such as smart sensors, real-time data, and tech that help us manage urban flooding and droughts without breaking the bank.

Her research interests are a mashup of everything that makes water fascinating and frustrating: sustainable stormwater reuse, equitable resource management, IoT in hydrology, and how to turn big data into big impact. For Nompumelelo, it’s not just about adapting to climate challenges but about thriving despite them—and maybe even inspiring others to rethink what’s possible.