Our team

Professor Imraan Valodia, an economist, is Pro Vice-Chancellor for Climate, Sustainability and Inequality, and Director of the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies (SCIS) at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (Wits). His research interests include inequality, competition policy, employment, the informal economy, gender and economic policy, and industrial development. Imraan has played a central role in establishing and leading the SCIS. The SCIS is a multi-disciplinary, cross-country initiative to promote research and policy change to promote greater equality in the Global South. Imraan has led and participated in a number of large national and international studies. He is recognised nationally and internationally for his research expertise in economic development. Imraan is a part-time member of the Competition Tribunal in South Africa. He is also a commissioner of the National Minimum Wage Commission and a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa (Assaf) Standing Committee on Science for the Reduction of Poverty and Inequality. In August 2016 Professor Valodia was appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to chair the Advisory Panel on the National Minimum Wage. This led to the introduction of a National Minimum Wage in South Africa.  In early 2018, he was appointed to a Panel to advise the Minister of Economic Development on amendments to the Competition Act, which were introduced into law in 2019. He was also appointed by the Minister of Finance to a Panel of Experts to advise on Value-Added Taxes.

David Francis is the Deputy Director at the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies. His research interests focus on labour market economics, the informal economy, and inequality. He was the researcher for the Advisory Panel on the minimum wage in South Africa. He has previously worked as a development consultant, and a policy and budget analyst at South Africa’s National Treasury, where he worked in health and social policy. He has a PhD in economics from Wits University, an MA in development studies from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and a bachelor of social sciences in economics and history from the University of Cape Town.

Stacey-Leigh Joseph is Head of Operations at the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies. She is the former Executive Manager for Programmes at the South African Cities Network where she was responsible for leading a team of researchers developing content to support improved urban governance and management in South African cities. Her specific research focus areas over the past 15 years have been on issues related to land, human settlements, and urban development. She also has experience working in government and civil society and holds a Master of Social Science degree in International Relations from Rhodes University. 

Athenkosi Pono is the Communications Officer of the Southern Centre for Inequalities Studies (SCIS). He earned a National Diploma in Media and Advertising Management from Varsity College. Athenkosi has more than a decade of experience in marketing, communications, graphic design, and digital media. He has 5 years of international project development experience with the German Development Agency (GIZ), where he provided communications assistance for global, regional, and bilateral initiatives in collaboration with the African Union and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD).

Kitso Kgaboesele is a Senior Communications Officer at the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies. She holds an MA in African Studies from the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and is currently pursuing a Master of Commerce in Inequality Studies at Wits University. Kitso has more than 15 years experience in the advertising, media, and communications industries. She spent 11 years at the SABC where she worked as a news researcher and radio current affairs national copy editor. 

Pauline Dhlamini is a Research Project Officer at the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies. She has a Bachelor of Commerce in Human Resources Management and an Advanced Diploma in Project Management. Pauline has extensive experience working in Human Resources, Operations, Finance, and Project Management. She previously worked for the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), where she provided project management support for five years. She is currently pursuing a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management at Cranefield College.

Percygynia Kock is a Projects and Office Coordinator at the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies. Fondly known as Percy, she has worked in the NGO sector for more than five years in sectors focused on gender-based violence, access to justice, and public health. Her professional background includes project, financial, and payroll systems. Percy has extensive knowledge of donor budget monitoring and grants management workflow. She holds an Advanced Diploma in Accounting Science, a National Diploma in Accounting and currently pursuing her Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management.