Nokuthula Marjorie Ngonyama’s career spans more than 25 years at the intersection of technology, business transformation, and leadership. Beginning in systems and finance, she built a foundation that enabled her to bridge technical expertise with commercial value. Over the years, she has led enterprise-scale ICT modernisation initiatives, ERP transformations, cloud migrations, and ticketing innovations, with a strong focus on governance and sustainable delivery.
Earlier in her career, Nokuthula served as Head of Data Services at Standard Bank, where she ran the bank’s first-ever Data Science Graduate Programme. This role fuelled her passion for data and its ability to create measurable value for organisations – from sharpening decision-making to unlocking growth opportunities. It also reinforced her belief in developing young talent and building capability as the true multiplier of innovation.
Today, as Group Chief Information Officer at PRASA, Nokuthula is driving one of South Africa’s most complex digital transformation programmes – modernising legacy systems, introducing integrated ticketing solutions, and advancing cybersecurity resilience. Beyond her corporate leadership, she is the founder of Time and Space (Pty) Ltd and NMarjorie Consulting, both focused on digital innovation, community-based smart developments, and capability building for disadvantaged communities.
DataIQ asked: “How do you see the role of the data leader evolving over the next 12-24 months?”
“The role of the data leader is shifting from stewarding data infrastructure to orchestrating business transformation. Over the next 12–24 months, data leaders will increasingly need to bridge strategy, governance, and execution, guiding organisations on how to responsibly deploy AI, harness internal and external data ecosystems, and translate insights into measurable business outcomes.
“What I see becoming critical for the role is combining business acumen and commercial understanding with deep expertise in technology and data. This dual perspective ensures data is not pursued for its own sake, but as a driver of operational efficiency, customer experience, and growth.
“As organisations face transitions from legacy systems to cloud, from intuition to intelligence, from siloed operations to integrated platforms, data leaders must evolve into trusted advisors at the executive table, balancing innovation with accountability, ethics, and competitive edge.”