Mbali Ntuli

CEO, Ground Work Collective
Mbali Ntuli is the CEO of Ground Work Collective, a non-profit dedicated to giving South Africans the tools, confidence, and knowledge they need to strengthen democracy. Through GWC and her broader work, Mbali has become a leading voice for civic participation, ethical leadership, and the power of ordinary citizens to shape their future. A social entrepreneur and civic leader with more than 15 years of experience in public service and leadership, she was Youth Leader of the Democratic Alliance and later served as a Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature. In 2020, she became the youngest candidate to contest the party’s national leadership. A graduate of Rhodes University, Mbali is a Mandela Washington Fellow, IVLP Fellow, and the 2019 World Young Politician of the Year. These global exchanges enrich her work at home, giving her comparative insights while reinforcing her commitment to South Africa’s democratic future.
Organization vision: To strengthen South Africa’s democracy by empowering citizens—especially young people and marginalized groups—through civic education, community mobilization, and participatory initiatives that build active, informed, and engaged communities.

Ground Work Collective works to support stronger communities and a more active, inclusive democracy. They focus on practical action — helping people grow food, register to vote, understand their rights, and build sustainable livelihoods. GWC ensures that voter registration is coupled with civic education spanning the entire political realm and provides practical ways in which citizens can get involved in protecting their democracy.

In 2023, GWC unveiled the #X_Change voter registration portal—the first digital platform of its kind in South Africa—explicitly designed to encourage unregistered citizens, particularly young people, to register to vote. The portal also delivers engaging civic education content to newly registered voters, empowering them with knowledge to hold authorities accountable and understand the value of their vote. They offer school programs that provide civic education for scholars aged 16-18. They also offer community-based civic education, coupled with entrepreneurship skills, to young unemployed youth.

GWC had the most election observers in the 2024 national election and holds year-round election observer training sessions for all by-elections. GWC has also been asked to assist the Electoral Reform panel in developing a new election model for South Africa, as well as by the Independent Electoral Commission to co-chair the Electoral Integrity Project.