Nkosinathi Myataza

Nkosinathi Myataza is the Regional General Manager for KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape at Airports Company South Africa (ACSA). His leadership journey was shaped long before his professional career began. Born into a family rooted in faith and service,

Nkosinathi grew up as the second born son of an Anglican priest in the former Transkei in the Eastern Cape. “My early education began in the Eastern Cape across several towns,” he recalls. “Those early experiences instilled adaptability, discipline, and a deep sense of service.”

Nkosinathi matriculated at St John’s College in Mthatha, where he spent three years as a boarding student from 1980 to 1982. “They were beautiful years, tough years, and profoundly character building academically, socially, and personally,” he says.

Following matric, Nkosinathi enrolled for an Electrical Engineering degree at the then University of Natal in Durban. Like many black students at the time, his registration was provisional while awaiting study permits required under apartheid legislation. Accommodation was off campus in Wentworth due to the Group Areas Act. “Despite the political and social constraints, the academic programme was enriching and produced many outstanding professionals and leaders of society,” he reflects. Political instability, however, disrupted many student journeys, including his own.

Nkosinathi later completed his engineering studies at what is now the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, earning a National Higher Diploma in Mechanical Engineering. Studying while working, he went on to obtain a Government Certificate of Competency factories, a BSc through UNISA, postgraduate qualifications in Risk Management, Project Management, executive leadership and governance, and an MSc in Operational Research.

Alongside academic achievement, professional accountability has been central to his development. Nkosinathi holds registration as a Professional Certificated Engineer with the Engineering Council of South Africa, is a Certified Risk Management Practitioner with The Institute of Risk Management South Africa, and a Certified Director with the Institute of Directors in South Africa. “All these experiences shaped not only my career, but my worldview,” he says. “While my ambition from high school was to become an engineer, the journey sharpened me far beyond technical skill, giving me a deep appreciation for people, systems, resilience, and purpose.”

DISCIPLINE, RISK AND RESPONSIBILITY

Nkosinathi’s first paid role set the tone for the discipline that would define his career. He joined Eskom’s Koeberg Nuclear Power Station as a Nuclear Technician, following in service training that included placement at the Caltex Refinery in Cape Town. He explains, “My role at Koeberg involved operating complex machinery and safety critical systems where outcomes were expected to be exact, predictable, and without surprises. That early exposure to discipline, accountability, and risk consciousness has stayed with me throughout my career.”

As Regional General Manager for KZN and the Eastern Cape at ACSA, his responsibilities span three airports, including King Shaka International Airport. His role includes the oversight of operations, engineering, safety, security, regional integration and stakeholder engagement. Nkosinathi also contributes at executive management and board related governance levels, supporting strategy, risk oversight and long-term sustainability. His sense of purpose is grounded in both service and legacy. “Professionally, I am committed to ensuring that airports are safe, efficient, resilient, and enabling platforms for economic growth,” he says. “Airports are not just infrastructure. They connect people, places, opportunities and dreams.”

Personally, Nkosinathi is deeply invested in developing women and youth leaders, advancing transformation, and contributing to South Africa’s growth and Africa’s broader development agenda. “I want to leave behind a generation of well trained, ethical, and fully rounded aviation professionals who can take the industry forward with confidence and integrity.”

One professional accomplishment stands out above the rest. “Leading the engineering integration within the operational readiness of King Shaka Airport remains one of my proudest achievements,” he says. Delivering a complex, multi billion rand airport to international standards in time for the 2010 FIFA World Cup demanded exceptional collaboration, trust and fortitude. On a personal level, his pride is firmly rooted in family. “I am proud of my children, who continue to show up in their lives with purpose and character,” he says. Nkosinathi added, “That cannot be possible without my siblings, as we are a tight knit collective.”

VALUES DRIVEN LEADERSHIP

The principles that guide Nkosinathi’s leadership were shaped by his upbringing within an African and Christian value system. “Love yourself, love your neighbour, and treat others as you would want to be treated,” he says. “That principle reminds me that leadership is not about power, but about service, integrity, and how one shows up for others.” Those values were tested during the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the most challenging periods in aviation history. With airports at a near standstill, leadership demanded resilience and compassion. “Leading through that period required clarity of purpose and a deliberate balance between saving lives and livelihoods,” he reflects. “Staying grounded in purpose and values made it possible to navigate uncertainty.”

Motivating teams through conflict and pressure, he believes, comes down to hearing different perspectives, treating people with dignity, and ensuring decisions are well explained. Nkosinathi says, “When people feel respected and included, difficult moments become opportunities for growth.”

Inspiration comes from both public figures and personal sources. He cites Oliver Tambo as a model of principled leadership. His greatest inspiration, however, was his late mother, MaZulu, who raised seven children after being widowed at 40, rebuilding her family life with faith and dignity. He also honours his late father, Rhadebe, whose unwavering commitment to principle cost him his life at 44.

Looking ahead, Nkosinathi’s vision for business in KZN is ‘inclusive, transformed, and sustainable growth’. He sees the province as a powerful logistics, tourism and trade gateway for the continent, provided collaboration between government, civil society, public entities and the private sector deepens.

“Transformation must be meaningful,” he adds. “We must create a future that is not only economically strong, but socially just and worthy of the generations that follow.” This is a vision neatly captured in the motto Nkosinathi lives by: “Lead with integrity, decide with courage, and serve with purpose.