Nonhlanhla Vilakazi

Dr
Name: Nonhlanhla Vilakazi
Location: D3 Lab 229 Auckland Park Kingsway Campus
Zoology Academic Staff  Staff Members

Contact Details:
Tel: +27 (0)11 559 7334

Email: nvilakazi@uj.ac.za

About Nonhlanhla Vilakazi

Dr Nonny Vilakazi is a researcher with a deep-rooted interest in Palaeo-herpetology and heritage management. As a co-permit holder at Bolt’s Farm Karstic System, a significant palaeo-site within South Africa’s Cradle of Humankind, Dr. Vilakazi plays a vital role in exploring the environmental history of the area, which spans an extraordinary timeline from 4 million to 900,000 years ago based on biochronology. Her research leverages reptiles as bioindicators, using their fossil records to reconstruct past ecosystems and draw insights into climate change patterns that resonate with the shifts we experience today. Driven by a commitment to change perceptions of reptiles—animals often misunderstood and unfairly killed—Dr Vilakazi advocates for their conservation, highlighting their critical role in environmental studies.

In addition to her primary research, Dr. Vilakazi supervises students researching fossil species, including bovids, rodents, rhinos, and primates, fostering the next generation of palaeontologists. Her work also extends to the management and rehabilitation of heritage sites, where she explores sustainable strategies to preserve these invaluable sites. Dedicated to making science accessible and engaging, Dr Vilakazi is passionate about sharing her knowledge with the public, transforming complex scientific topics into compelling narratives and making heritage science “fashionable.” She believes that each fossil within the Cradle holds a piece of the puzzle in understanding human evolution and the dynamic interactions our ancestors had with their environments.

Publications

Vilakazi, N., Gommery, D. & Kgasi, L. 2018. First fossil record of the spitting Elapidae in the Cradle of Humankind (South Africa). South African Archaeological Bulletin 73 (207): 35-40

Gommery, D., Kgasi, L., Sénégas, F., Vilakazi, N., Hancox J. and Brink. J. 2019. Waypoint 160: First in situ primate remain. Annals of the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History 8: 1-5

Vilakazi, N. 2019. “Humble” knowledge in the Palaeosciences: Isn’t it time to Decolonise? South African Archaeological Bulletin 74 (211): 138-140

Pickford, M., Gommery, D., Kgasi, L., Vilakazi, N., Senut, B. & Mocke, H. 2019. Southern African Tetraconodontinae: Recent discoveries. Communications of the Geological Survey of Namibia 21: 59-81

Vilakazi, N., Gommery, D. & Kgasi, L. 2020. First Agaminae discovered at Brad Pit A, Bolt’s Farm Cave System (South Africa). Annals of the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History 9: 48-53

Kgasi, L., Vilakazi, N. & Sénégas, F. 2021. The effectiveness of fossil acid preparation at Ditsong National Museum of Natural History. Cultural History Journal 12: 114-121

Vilakazi, N. 2021. Transformation in Palaeontology: Going nowhere slowly. South African Archaeological Bulletin 76 (215): 171-175

Senut, B., Gommery, D., Kgasi, L. & Vilakazi, N. 2022. Mylomygale fossil specimen from BPA, Bolt’s Farm Karstic System, Cradle of Humankind. Journal of African Earth Sciences 196: 1-8.

Gommery, D. & Vilakazi, N. 2022. Un laboratoire franco-sud-africain. In Paleontologie d’ aujourd’ hui. EDP Sciences: France.

Gommery, D., Vilakazi, N., Kgasi, L. & Sénégas, F. 2022. Bolt’s Farm: un site paleontologique sud-africain classé par l’Unesco. In Paleontologie d’ aujourd’ hui. EDP Sciences: France.

Gommery, D., Kgasi, L., Vilakazi, N., Sénégas, F., Pickford, M., Kuhn, B., Schnyder, J. & Pois, V. 2022. First in situ middle Pliocene cercopithecoid fossils from the Palaeokarst System Bolt’s Farm (South Africa). Geodiversitas, 45(5): 163-195

Lemierre, A., Vilakazi, N., Gommery, D. & Kgasi, L. 2024. Unveiling the First Neobatrachian (Anura) discovered in the Cradle of Humankind (Plio- Pleistocene), South Africa. Journal of African Herpetology. DOI:10.1080/21564574.2024.2351821

External links

ORCiD: Nonhlanhla Vilakazi (0000-0002-3701-1155) – ORCID

SCOPUS: Vilakazi, Nonhlanhla – Author details – Scopus

Google Scholar: nonhlanhla vilakazi – Google Scholar