Team

Professor Stephen Mago 
Professor and Head of Department

Stephen Mago is a Professor at Nelson Mandela University in the Department of Development Studies. He is an interdisciplinary researcher who holds a BSc Honours degree in Economics, a Masters in Business Administration (MBA), and a PhD in Development Studies. Stephen’s research interests are in development finance, entrepreneurship (including rural entrepreneurship), local economic development, development theory, research ethics, and social science research methods. He supervises postgraduate students up to the doctoral level. Stephen has linkages with various universities (national and international) as an external examiner or moderator.

Prof Janet Cherry
Professor

Janet Cherry is a researcher and activist in the field of sustainable and participatory development. She has an interdisciplinary background in economic history and political sociology, with her qualifications being a PhD in political sociology from Rhodes University and Honours and Masters in Economic History from the University of Cape Town. She has done research in the fields of social and political history, civil society and social movements, political participation, human rights, land, gender and sustainable development. She has worked as a researcher for the HSRC Democracy and Governance programme and the SA Truth and Reconciliation Commission, among others, and as a researcher and trainer in many African countries. She is currently involved in action research on township economies and sustainable development in the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality, namely the Sustainable Settlement Pilot Project and the Transition Township Project. Her Masters and Doctoral students are working in the fields of food sovereignty, conservation agriculture, land and sustainable livelihoods in Sub-Saharan Africa. 

Dr Amanda van den Berg
Senior Lecturer and Academic Coordinator

Dr Amanda van den Berg obtained her PhD in Business Management from the Nelson Mandela University in 2016.  She received her BA, BA Honours and MA degrees from the University of Port Elizabeth in South Africa. She is currently employed and teaches within the Department of Development Studies at Nelson Mandela University.  She is involved in the teaching, supervision, research and academic delivery, including the co-ordination of the Masters and Doctoral programmes within the Department. She also offers her services to a number of South African universities as an external examiner/moderator. 

Dr Florah Sewela Modiba
Senior Lecturer and Academic Coordinator

Florah is a senior lecturer, academic coordinator, and researcher in the Department of Development Studies. She holds a doctoral degree (DLITT ET PHIL) in Development Studies from UNISA. Before joining NMU, she spent eight years in the corporate industry and academia working for companies such as SAP Research and UNISA. She is also an external examiner and moderator for other universities. Her research and innovation interests are in development policy; entrepreneurship (formal and informal businesses); ICTs in development; gender and development; and sustainable rural and township development. She is involved in research projects focusing on rural and township entrepreneurial financing, smart rural communities, rural livelihoods, community development, entrepreneurial development, youth empowerment, and local economic development.

Dr Danai Tembo
Lecturer and Academic Coordinator

Danai Tembo hold a DPhil in Development Studies; her study focusing on improving the implementation of marine living resource legislation in South Africa. In 2008, she graduated with a BSc in Environmental Sciences, majoring in Geosciences and Zoology. In 2011, she received her MA in Development Studies, with her research focusing on the disparities prevalent in the policing of consumptive and non-consumptive marine activities. Danai has worked in the department since 2009 and is currently lecturering on various programmes in the department including the BA Development Studies, PG Dip Maritime Studies, and MPhil Maritime Studies programmes. In addition, she supervises the research of postgraduate students and is the programme leader for the MPhil Development Finance programme. Her current research interests include marine resource governance, maritime governance and security, fisheries crime, and capacity building in the Western Indian Ocean region.

Mr Sakhile Phiri
Lecturer and Academic Coordinator

Sakhile M. Phiri graduated with Hons in Economics and Business studies, from University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, in 2006. The subject of his dissertation was macroeconomic policy. He previously worked as an enterprise account manager for Newcastle city council. Mr Phiri graduated from Nelson Mandela University in 2009 after completing his Master research in policing and conflict. He joined the Department of Development Studies as programme co-ordinater and associate lecturer. His current research focuses on enhancing employability, entrepreneurship and youth development within the local labour market. Mr Phiri is also the Programme Coordinator for the BA Development Studies programme.

Dr. Laura Novienyo Abla Amoah

Lecturer and Academic Coordinator

Laura has worked with the National Research Foundation, the National Department of Water & Sanitation (Pretoria) with the Policy directorate, the National Department of Public Works (Pretoria), the Nuclear Energy Cooperation of South Africa, and the Department of Environmental Health (NMU) as a lecturing Assistant before joining the Department of Development Studies. Laura is involved in the teaching, supervision, research, and coordination of the MPhil and PG Dip Maritime programmes within the Department. Laura obtained her BSc from WSU, BSc Honours at UNISA and MSc and Ph.D. from the University of Witwatersrand. She has presented a public lecture, and hosted panel discussions on topical environmental issues facing Africa. Her research interests are in Maritime and Coastal issues, food security, EIA, climate change, vulnerability adaptation, sustainable development, environmental and disaster management, and environmental education.

Dr Muzi Shoba
Lecturer

Muzi Shoba is a Lecturer in the Department of Development Studies at Nelson Mandela University. He is involved in teaching at the undergraduate level and assists with the coordination of the Master's programme. He also supervises postgraduate students at the Honours and Masters level. He completed his doctoral studies at the University of KwaZulu Natal. His current research focuses on BRICS, China-Africa relations, and local economic development. He has broad interests in analysing current African development and global affairs.

Ms Joshna Daya
Programme Administrator

Joshna.Daya@mandela.ac.za

Tel: +27 (0)41 504 2504

Fax: +27 (0)41 504 2826

Dr Thandoluhle Kwanhi
Post-Doctoral Fellow

Thandoluhle Kwanhi has a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Fort Hare; her research looked at market access barriers for smallholder farmers on irrigation schemes in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province. She received a Masters in Agricultural Economics in 2014 and an Honours in Agricultural Economics (Cum- Laude) in 2013. Her research was funded by the Water Research Council (K5/2178/4) and focused on the water use efficiency of smallholder farmers in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province. In 2012, she earned a bachelor's degree in Agribusiness Management from the University of Venda. Thandoluhle is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Department of Development Studies, and her current research interests include food security, sustainable livelihood, and environmental sustainability, Climate change, digital transformation and localization and financing of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Dr. David Damiyano
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow

Dr. David Damiyano is a Post Doctoral Research Fellow at Nelson Mandela University in South Africa. He is an Honorary Research Associate at the Duban University of Technology. He has teaching and supervision experience up to PhD level in Zimbabwean and South African universities. David has evidence of Research Scholarship and Creative Work, Innovation, Industrialisation, Teaching and Learning and University Service and Community Engagement. He holds a PhD in Management Sciences - Public Administration, Msc and Bsc in Economics, PGTE, among other certificates. As an inter-disciplinary researcher, David has a keen interest in trending agendas like development and growth economics, SDGs and BRICS debates. He has authored numerous articles and book chapters.

Dr. Shadreck Matindike
Post-Doctoral Fellow

Dr. Shadreck Matindike is a young and dynamic Post-doctoral Researcher at Nelson Mandela University in the Department of Development Studies within the School of Economics, Development and Tourism. He pursued BCom Honours Degree in Economics, BSc Special Honours degree in Monitoring and Evaluation, Post graduate Diploma in Tertiary Education, MCom Degree in Economics, MSc Agricultural Informatics & Data Analytics, and a PhD in Development Studies. Shadreck is an emerging multidisciplinary researcher with research interests encompassing development finance & financial inclusion, entrepreneurship (including rural entrepreneurship), cooperatives and cooperating behavior, agriculture, informatics & data analytics, climate issues, gender issues, devolution and public policy and social science research methods. His research skills are enhanced by experience as a Research Intern with UNDP Economics Department, lecturing in universities as well as organizing and coordinating projects for Institute of New Economic Thinking (INET)’s Young Scholars Initiative Cooperatives Working Group.

Selected Post doctoral Fellowship Activities done so far:

Publishing: Focusing on Financial Inclusion and Entrepreneurship with a bias towards cross cutting issues like cooperatives and digitalization, more than 5 articles were published and several under review.

Teaching: Have taught the following modules – DEVE502 Advanced Development Policy (master’s level), DEV302 Development Policy (undergraduate level) and EIP402 Enterprise Development and Finance (Post graduate diploma level)

Research supervision: 1 PhD student, 2 MA students and 2 Honours students

Selected Conferences and Seminars:

Co-organized and Participated in the following international events:

1. ICA-YSI Young Scholars Workshop at the ICA CCR EU in Leuven, July 10-15, 2023, Leuven, Belgium [In person]

2. Young Scholars Co-operative Law Summer School, August 20-30, 2023, Pula, Croatia [In person]

3. Young Cooperative Leaders and Scholars Symposium, October 1-7, 2023, Washington, United States of America [In person]