Princess Mthombeni
Nominee's Province:
Gauteng
Project Name/Description:
Founder, Africa4Nuclear
Those familiar with her call her Princy, a nuclear energy advocate, communicator, and activist who founded a non-profit advocacy campaign that promotes nuclear energy as a contributor to Africa’s sustainable development agenda. Through the NPO, there has been public engagement and conversations with policymakers, professionals, politicians, and the media, fostering dialogue and building trust in nuclear technology as part of Africa’s clean energy future. Her advocacy bridges technical expertise with public understanding, building trust in nuclear energy as a safe, reliable, and essential component of Africa’s future. Mthombeni has emerged as a leading voice in reshaping the energy conversation, countering misinformation, and ensuring Africa’s citizens are included in energy decision-making processes. Globally, Princy has been recognised at the Women in Nuclear Global Excellence Award in 2022, in the same year, as the most dedicated member by Women in Nuclear South Africa, two years later, she scooped a Giraffe Heroes Award, and this year she was awarded by the African Commission on Nuclear Energy Nuclear Advocacy with an excellence award. Though Princy has been interviewed and featured in numerous publications and the mainstream media, she is adamant that her work continues and there is still more to do. Beyond energy advocacy, Princy spearheaded a landmark civic campaign under the South Africans for Constitutional Reform (SACR) movement. The campaign gathered over 30,000 signatures in support of amending South Africa’s constitution, resulting in Parliament receiving more than 200 amendment proposals. She concludes: “The energy transition in SA must be inclusive of all genders. Empowering women across the energy value chain is not optional but essential for innovation, leadership, and lasting solutions.”
