Dr Lwazi Manzi’s 15-year career spans across multiple sectors which has made her into a multidimensional and highly empathetic leader. She qualified as a medical doctor in 2006 and spent her first 12 years in the frontline of emergency medicine. Between 2012 and 2016 she made the transition into the film and television industry and finally left clinical practice in 2018 to pursue a career as a film and television executive producer. She enjoyed a prolific career which culminated in her becoming a co-producer of the largest co-production in Africa, The Professionals, a 27 million dollar South African/ Irish co-production. Lwazi’s leadership and passion for the film industry culminated in being awarded a Special Discretionary Simon “Mabhunu” Sabela Award in 2017 by then MEC Sihle Zikalala for outstanding contribution to the film industry, particularly in KwaZulu Natal. In July 2019 Dr. Manzi left the set of The Professionals to answer the “Thuma Mina” call and joined the Ministry of Health as Media Liaison Officer. This appointment was a perfect marriage of the skills she had acquired through her medical and creative careers. Her tenure as MLO for the Minister of Health has seen her tackle two massive communications campaigns- firstly for the National Health Insurance that was introduced to Parliament shortly after her appointment, and for the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2021 Dr Manzi was called to serve as the Head of Secretariat for the AU Commission on Africa’s COVID-19 Response Strategy, which supports His Excellency, Cyril Ramaphosa, in his role as the AU Champion on COVID-19.