Advocate James Mlawu
Current position
Adv. James Mlawu is currently a Director-General at the National Department of Transport.
Academic qualifications
Adv. James Mlawu holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from MANCOSA, a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Bachelor of Procurationis (Bproc) from the University of Natal, a Diploma in Management Development from the University of Durban. Adv. Mlawu is also an Admitted Advocate of the
High Court RSA.
Career/Positions/Memberships/Other Activities
Prior to his appointment as a DG, Adv. James Mlawu served as a Special Advisor to the Minister of Transport from 2018-2019, Head of Department in the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Roads and Public Works from 2013-2018, Acting Deputy-Director General: Road Transport at the National Department of Transport from 2010-2013, a Project Manager: Roads at the National Department of Transport in 2010, Senior Associate Consultant CORD from 2008-2010, Acting Head of Department: Department of Social Development in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal in 2007, General Manager:
Strategic Planning at the Department of Transport in the Province of KwaZuluNatal from 2002-2007, a Director: Development at the Department of Transport in the KwaZulu-Natal Province from 2000-2002, a Deputy
Director: Development at the Department of Transport, Province of KwaZuluNatal from 1998-2000.
During his tenure as the Head of Department in the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Roads and Public Works, Adv. Mlawu successfully improved departmental audit outcomes from disclaimer in 2012/13 to unqualified from 2013/14 to 18/19; improved women representation at SMS from 16% to 39% over period as incumbent; achieved departmental improvement on stated objectives from 80% to 90% over the period. Adv. Mlawu also played a lead role in the development and roll- out of S’hamaba Sonke, the nationwide programme of the National Department of Transport to improve the secondary road network of RSA and create jobs through labour absorptive methods. Since November 2022 he is the Director General for Transport in RSA, charged with improving the Transportation challenges facing the country in its various modes.