Bio
I have worked as a Sustainable Development Specialist consultant in Africa for 30 years in various sectors, I am currently finalizing my Ph.D. ( Urban Pacification Strategies and Solutions: Towards a Contested Space Theory of Artisanal Mining) at the University of the Free State in South Africa. I hold a Masters degree in Urban and Regional Planning (cum laude) from the same university. For the past 3 years, I have worked as an action-based researcher on the Kimberley Artisanal Mining formalization and process with approximately 3000 informal miners on all aspects of artisanal diamond mining. Together we have achieved the first and to date, only legal artisanal mining permit in South Africa. I have a primary interest in the inclusion of the urban poor in the formal economy, sustainable development resilience strategies, and various livelihood options. Gender and specifically urban poor women are important role players in the sector, and we advocate strongly for their inclusion in mining.
