Project Team

• Imraan Valodia

  
  
  Imraan Valodia  leads the project team as principal investigator.
  
  His research interests are wide-ranging. He serves on a number of economic policy advisory panels including Employment Conditions Commission (South Africa), the Industrial Development Corporation (South Africa). He has worked with leading international development organizations, including the United Nation Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank, the British Department for International Development (DFiD), and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
  
  
  
  

• Myriam Velia

  Myriam Velia is currently the lead researcher (1) on the project. 
  
  She has a PhD in Economics (International Economics) from the University of Sussex (UK). She has been involved with a number of projects while at the School. She was a full-time researcher at the School between 2001 and early 2008, and subsequently joined Trade in Industry Policy Strategies (TIPS), a section 21 not-for-profit agency, as Head of Research. Myriam came back to the School in April 2010 on a part-time basis. Since her return, she has been involved with numerous research projects for the province of KZN.
  
  
  

• Glen Robbins

  
  
  Glen Robbins is a lead researcher (2) on the project.
  
  He is a freelance consultant specialising in regional and local economic development with a focus on regional and city economic development strategies, infrastructure planning and financing and trade and industrial policy. Previously he headed up the Economic Development and City Enterprises functions in the eThekwini Municipality (Durban). In 2003 he joined the School of Development Studies has been involved in teaching and research contributing journal articles and book chapters on subjects ranging from municipal infrastructure investment to industrial policy and local economic development. He has also authored and co-authored reports for the Cities Alliance, UNCTAD, ILO and other multi-lateral bodies.
  
  
  
  
  

• Kathleen Diga

  
  
  Kathleen Diga played an administrative role on the project until 2014.
   
  She is Project Manager to the South African Research Chair in Applied Poverty Reduction Assessment at the School of Built Environment and Development Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), South Africa. She is current completing her PhD at the Institute for Social Development, University of the Western Cape, South Africa. Her main focus of research is in the poverty and economic dimensions of information and communication technologies for development. Prior to joining UKZN, Kathleen worked at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) as a research officer under the ICT4D Africa (Acacia) initiative in Johannesburg and Nairobi.
  
  
  

• Preston Govindasamy

  
  
  Preston Govindasamy is a junior researcher currently involved with quality control and finalizing the survey database for the project.
  
  He has a Masters degree in Population Studies from the School of Built Environment and Development Studies at UKZN. His recently completed Masters dissertation was entitled: Computer literacy, employment, and earnings: A cross- sectional study on South Africa using the National Income Dynamic Study 2008. His research interests include poverty reduction and youth unemployment.
  
  

• Muhammed Patel

  
  
  Muhammed Patel is a researcher currently investigating the determinants of firm exit, (amongst other determinants) for the project.
  
  He is passionate about econometrics and development issues. His Masters dissertation research examines the relationship between income and health in South Africa, as well as the determinants of health status using survey-based health outcomes.
  
  
  

• Other Capacities

  Contact Centre/Student Researchers: Ms Amy Benn
  Ms Kumbatha Msowoya
  
  Quality Controllers/Student Researchers: Ms Nthabiseng Marie
  Ms Amanda Mthembu
  
  Field workers:
   Mr H Bamata
  Mr P Mashau
  Miss L Mncwabe
  Mr M Patel
  Mr B Dlamini
  Ms HS Kunene
  Miss SL Mchunu
  Miss M Siziba
  Mr T Ramnath
  Ms L Ramnath
  Ms C Reddy
  Mr H Amra
  Mr BK Makhanya