Zwakele Mbanjwa worked at Michalsons until November 2025. He is an experienced data and tech lawyer based in South Africa, offering strategic legal solutions to multinational clients across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and the USA. At Michalsons, he specializes in helping organizations, governments, and communities navigate the complex regulatory landscape of the digital, data, and tech environments. With a focus on data protection, tech law, AI governance, and cybersecurity compliance, Zwakele is dedicated to enabling clients to commercialize data lawfully and harness the opportunities of the digital age.
His expertise extends beyond corporations to include work with indigenous African communities, where he provides strategic guidance on leveraging data and technology to build sustainable economies. With a commitment to building trust, solving key industry challenges, and fostering innovation, Zwakele helps his clients achieve their unique goals while maintaining compliance in an evolving digital world.
Read his insights.
At Michalsons, Zwakele Mbanjwa’s broad skillset and experience enable him to provide comprehensive legal advice and support clients across various industries in the rapidly evolving data, digital, and technology ecosystem. He uses Michalsons’ 4-pronged approach to help, by:
Learning
- Conducting briefings to governing bodies, executives, and government officials to provide a high-level balanced view of what the law is and what the impact will be on their organisations
- Facilitating customised in-person and online private workshops designed to develop the knowledge and understanding of key stakeholders within an organisation
- Designing and implementing learning and development programmes on regulations and laws within the legal universe of digital, data and technology
- Hosting and participating in webinars and public events
Programme
- Coaching clients through our selection of programmes
Software
- Supporting organisations configuring and implementing privacy management and data governance software to enable them to comply with the relevant laws
Services
- Guiding clients on the legal aspects of cross-border transactions, AI and data governance, data sharing, data privacy, and data localization requirements
- Drafting, reviewing, and updating privacy and information security policies and procedures
- Advising and guiding clients on how to implement an effective data protection compliance programme to protect and secure personal data
- Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating IT contracts to ensure clear terms and protect clients’ interests in technology-related transactions
- Assessing and managing legal and compliance risks in IT, implementing governance frameworks, and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations
- Assisting organizations in navigating access to information laws and regulations, promoting transparency and accountability
- Advising on legal and ethical considerations related to the use and development of AI technologies
- Providing practical legal advice and opinions about the application of the law to a client’s unique context and giving recommendations
- Using design principles to effectively communicate legal information in any form to a client’s key stakeholders through simple language and visual cues
Zwakele also coordinates and leads activities for the Lexing Network across the Middle East and Africa, where he is responsible for expanding the network’s footprint and fostering collaboration within the region.
Before joining Michalsons, Zwakele Mbanjwa worked as a Management Consultant, specialising in risk & regulatory at PwC. His work involved helping financial services clients:
- manage their compliance risks (namely bribery and corruption, money laundering, terrorism financing, and prudential regulatory compliance),
- conduct compliance reviews and internal audits, and
- investigate economic crime.
At MTN, Zwakele contributed to shaping the company’s public policy strategy across its 21 countries strong footprint in Africa and the Middle East. He played a pivotal role in coordinating MTN’s public policy efforts, including representing the company at the South African Communications Forum and supporting South Africa’s national planning team for the 2018 ITU Telecom World. His work in the telecoms industry covered government relations, issue management, corporate responsibility, business development, and strategic communications.
Throughout his career, Zwakele has remained committed to driving African development and fostering international trade with the developing world. This passion is the golden thread that connects his work, as he continues to seek innovative ways to contribute to Africa’s growth through technology, data, and regulatory solutions.