When Dr Ernest Kanakana Mutenda joined the City of Johannesburg in 2008 as an Administrative Assistant in the Legislature, few could have imagined the transformative journey he would take, one grounded in a commitment to integrity, governance excellence, and ethical leadership.
Currently, he holds the role of Acting Unit Head: Management Support within the Group Governance Department, while substantively serving as Specialist: Governance and Reporting. Recently, he achieved a major academic milestone: a PhD in Operations Management from the University of Johannesburg with a research focus on Sustainable Public Procurement.
His doctoral work developed an integrated framework for Green Public Procurement adoption in South Africa and Africa, using Structural Equation Modelling to validate key dimensions such as policy frameworks, eco-labelling, multi-stakeholder forums, training, and national action plans.
Over the years, Dr Mutenda has served in several senior roles through strategic secondments — including in Public Safety, GFIS, Ombudsman, and Health, where his leadership in management support functions has made a lasting impact. But it is in the field of public ethics where he is currently leaving an indelible mark.
In 2021, when assigned to support a KPI on ethics awareness, Dr Mutenda beyond the task. He is now spearheading the institutionalisation of ethics as a formal governance function in the City — an ambitious reform agenda. As a certified Ethics Officer by the Ethics Institute of South Africa, he has led the following landmark initiatives:
- Hosted Johannesburg’s first Global Ethics Commemoration Day, where the Mayor, Speaker, and City Manager signed an Ethics Pledge
- Launched the Ethics Ambassadors Programme to build grassroots integrity capacity
- Initiated and runs the JoziEthicsEcho newsletter
- Conducted a citywide Ethical Climate Survey
- Facilitates ethics training at HR inductions and in municipal entities
- Currently preparing the launch of Ethicast, a podcast that will spark dialogue on ethics and public integrity
Dr Mutenda’s thought leadership is now sought after on both national and international platforms. He is an active member of the:
- Public Ethics Network South Africa [Wits School of Governance]
- Gauteng Municipal Ethics Officers Forum
- He has also delivered high-impact talks at major forums such as the OECD, Siemens Integrity Initiative and the Auwal Socio-Economic Research Institute.
Most recently, the University of the Witwatersrand’s Centre for Civic Outreach extended a formal invitation for Dr Mutenda to serve on a high-level panel for its 2025 Civic Leadership Programme — a prestigious initiative aimed at empowering student leaders passionate about social justice.
Away from the podium and policy rooms, Dr Mutenda is an avid half-marathon runner and a passionate reader across disciplines, from behavioural science to political economy, reflecting a lifelong dedication to learning and personal development.
“My ability to move fluidly between technical, ethical, and strategic roles has given me the ability to inspire, influence, and anchor a new model of ethical governance,” he reflects.
Dr Mutenda’s story is a powerful testament to the impact of ethical, purpose-driven public service. From an admin desk in 2008 to becoming one of the leading voices for ethics in local government, he is shaping systems, influencing mindsets, and building a new culture of transparency, accountability, and integrity.