Olwethu serves as a Senior Analyst at The Maendeleo Group, an Africa-focused strategy, development and advisory firm. She is currently a PhD Candidate at the Centre of Criminology at the University of Cape Town.
Her area of specialization relates to the implementation of international and regional legal instruments aimed at curbing transnational organised crime and financial crime in Africa. Olwethu has contributed to a number of research consultancies and projects in Africa notably:
- Consultant for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in carrying out of a legal audit and policy environment assessment in the area of transnational organised crime for Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar.
- Consultant in the development of an advocacy tool detailing regional mechanisms to combat Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) in Africa for Tax Justice Network Africa.
- Consultant in the development of a report on the threat of transnational organised crime in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Region on behalf of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, Geneva, Switzerland.
- Facilitator and Consultant in a training commissioned by the African Union’s (AU) Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to enhance legal research and litigation skills.
- Consultant in the development of an anti-money laundering and compliance tool for banking, financial and regulatory institutions in Southern Africa.
Olwethu’s experience in the public and regulatory environment in South Africa has also given her expertise in policy research, advisory and development as well as in legislative drafting.