Nkabane earned a national diploma in commercial administration, business administration and management from the Durban University of Technology in 2001. She obtained a diploma in youth development, youth service/administration from the University of South Africa in 2009. In 2011, she graduated from UNISA with a bachelor's degree in humanities.[3]
Nkabane worked as a personal assistant at the Umzimkhulu Local Municipality between March 2005 and November 2006 and as a youth coordinator at the Sisonke District Municipality from December 2006 to March 2012.[3] She was a customer care manager from April 2012 to December 2017 and a director of water governance and customer care from January 2018 to May 2019 for the Harry Gwala District Municipality. Since February 2019, Nkabane has been employed as a tutor at UNISA.[3]
On 27 June 2019, Nkabane was named to the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation and the Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour.[7] She left the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation on 19 July 2019.[8] Nkabane was appointed to the Portfolio Committee on Sports, Arts and Culture on 5 September 2019.[9] She left that committee on 8 October 2020.[10]
On 5 August 2021, president Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Nkabane as Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy. She was sworn in on 6 August 2021.[12][13]
On 16 March 2022, Nkabane said that South Africa should be investing in nuclear energy, while speaking at the Nuclear Technology Imbizo under the theme "Promoting Global Partnership to Support the South African New Nuclear Build Program". She also said that it has been proven internationally that nuclear energy provides "an invaluable electricity source".[14]