Few places carry the weight of history quite like Robben Island. For Siphuxolo Mazwi, preserving that legacy is about more than protecting the past — it is about ensuring each new generation finds its own connection to one of South Africa's most powerful symbols of freedom. At 35, Mazwi is the senior manager for marketing and tourism at the Robben Island Museum, where she leads strategies that grow the institution's profile while making heritage tourism more accessible and inclusive. Following the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, she helped revive visitor numbers by introducing innovative campaigns that encouraged domestic tourism, including Africa Month promotions, the now-established Free Child Ticket initiative and an annual Open Day that invites local communities to experience the World Heritage Site free of charge.

Currently completing a PhD in tourism management at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Mazwi has also earned international recognition as a UNESCO expert panellist on sustainable tourism, sharing insights on destination marketing and heritage management at global conferences. In 2025, she was named among Honoris United Universities' 40 Under 40 alumni for tourism leadership. Her greatest inspiration remains former mentor Lihle Dlamini, whose belief in authenticity and lifelong learning shaped her leadership philosophy. Guided by the values instilled by elders in her rural hometown of Mount Frere, Mazwi continues to prove that tourism can preserve history while opening doors to opportunity, education and national pride.