Africa Institute of South Africa Research Output



Africa Institute of South Africa Research Output

Research outputs are in the form of journal articles, books, book chapters, occasional papers, monographs, policy briefs, conferences and media appearances. The total research outputs this year are much better compared to that of the previous year.




AISA produced a total of 98 publications: 17 peer reviewed book chapters, 4 occasional papers and 15 journal articles, 42 peer reviewed policy briefs, two published books, 17 book chapters and 18 peer reviewed edited proceedings. The target for the year was 91 publications. The 98 publications do not include the 9 submitted journal articles, a policy brief and three book chapters that were not published  as well as the 24 conference papers presented by researchers. The list of
all publications and conference/workshop attendance and paper presentations.

In the reporting year the division had ten external scholars present seminars within and outside AISA premises in fulfilling its mandate on information dissemination to the South African community. The first quarter started with the AISA Standard Bank Seminars with a wide range of topics such as China’s Security Challenges in Africa, Africa-India relations and a number of topics on Africa’s natural resources and the economic environment. This was followed by the Africa Day presentations and the Scramble for Africa conference which drew a large number of international scholars from African and the Diaspora. Within AISA premises we had scholars such as Professor Jonathan Nkomo speaking on American, Zimbabwean and South African issues. In the second quarter, scholars who made presentations include Ms Gabriella Carnevali, a visiting scholar from Venezuela on The African response to the Venezuelan African agenda (2005-2010). Professors Jett and Price from Rutgers and South Texas universities, United States of America (USA), Prof Tukumbi Lumumba-Kasongo from USA, Mr Korir Sing Oei from the Minority Rights Commission in Kenya, Ms Kambala from the Human Rights Wing (HRW), Ms Ozoemena, a private legal practitioner, Mr Bongani Masuku from the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and Dr Zoumenou from the Institute for Security Studies all based in South Africa. Two of the seminars were in partnership with HRW and IGD. Scholars such as Adv. Tshediso Thipanyane from the USA who presented on South Africa’s foreign policy in the Zuma government and Ms Motsei from South Africa who presented on the African She-elephant leadership featured in the third quarter which was dominated by four book launches and the Ambassadorial fora.

Ms Carnevali’s and Adv Thipanyane’s contributions were later submitted as a journal article and policy brief, respectively. AISA also hosted delegations from the Sierra Leone Armed Forces and Botswana Defence College who were briefed on peace and security issues. The last quarter mostly focused on AISA special projects but included a vibrant seminar on Special Economic Zones with presenters Mr Alfred Tau Chief Director, DTI, Professors Margaret Lee from the United States of America (USA), Mr Leon Louw, Executive Director, Free Market Foundation and Professor Chris Malikane from COSATU.



Five books linked to international conferences that AISA organised with external parties were launched in this reporting year. These were sponsored by AISA, DST, UNISA, IGD and Solarhybrid. The Nile River Project and Bridging the North-sub-Saharan Divide project were 2010/2011 book projects published in the current year. The other three books addressed concerns emanating from and possible solutions to climate change issues. These three books were launched at the COP 17 held in Durban in November-December 2011. Also of relevance to information dissemination are the three Ambassadorial fora on Libya, DRC and Jamaica that the division organised with the City of Tshwane, National Library, Ditsong Museums and the High Commission of Jamaica.

We will be expanding such partnerships beyond Tshwane to other cities and locations in South Africa in future; our AISA Young Graduates and Scholars (AYGS) conference being hosted in Limpopo Province with the University of Venda from 21 – 23 March 2012 being an example. Researchers presented a total of 25 papers at international and national conferences. The areas covered were governance and democracy, climate change, agriculture, health, natural resource conservation, security, industrialisation and education. AISA Directors attended the 13th CODESRIA Assembly in December 2011 and recommended that AISA actively participate in the regional CODESRIA activities and research projects relevant to its mandate. This requires a constant link with SADC members of the Executive Committee members who are within reach. AISA pays a membership fee to fully participate in CODESRIA activities due to the importance and relevance of the research and issues handled by CODESRIA in relation to AISA’s mandate. Researchers can find collaborators from the region through the CODESRIA data base of scholars accessible on the AISA shared drive. This will speed up submissions where there are calls for bilateral collaborated research from DST or the NRF. AISA researchers need to be encouraged to write papers for presentation at the CODESRIA General Assembly and interact with researchers from all over Africa. AISA must seek to co-host some CODESRIA events, encourage staff to apply for CODESRIA fellowships and other opportunities.
The Publications Division must seek collaboration with CODESRIA for joint publications and other work and continue to enhance AISA’s visibility through the quality books it publishes. The sale of books was successful as more than 80% of the books taken for exhibition and sale were sold. Professor Bohler-Muller and Ms April were invited researchers at institutions in Brazil and China where they presented two seminars each in Brazil in November/December 2011 and China in October to December 2011 respectively. They also submitted policy briefs on the work they did abroad.

The AYGS conference last year was in partnership with the University of Venda and the Guggenheim Foundation. The theme was Governance and Youth in Africa: Assessing Service Delivery, Unemployment and Sustainable Development for the 21st Century and was held from 21 – 23 March 2012 at the University of Venda, Thohoyandou. The decision to move the AYGS from Gauteng was to enable collaborating universities to fully participate and embrace the AYGS project and the benefits that come with it. The AYGS conference drew graduates and scholars from SADC and other regions. Presentations covered AISA’s five disciplines; governance and democracy, peace and security, sustainable development, science and technology and knowledge transfer and skills development and African cultural practices. Apart from students presentations there were scholarly interventions by the Guggenheim Foundation, AISA, the Marcus Garvey Pan-Afrikan University, Erasmus Mundus, and the French and American embassies.



The CampusLecture Series has allowed researchers to share their field experiences with students in South African tertiary institutions in an effort to transfer knowledge and develop research skills at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. 13 campus lectures have been presented to students in five South African universities and three lectures were presented to the South African National Defence academy and the Botswana Defence College students. Researchers shared with the students at the tertiary institutions the following: conceptualisation of the research project and processes leading to proposal writing; proposal submission and processes leading to field trips; collection of data in the field and analysis of
data on return from the field (this included discussions on quantitative and qualitative research methods used) and write up and presentation of results. Drs Maphosa and Simelane were invited as guest lecturers by the South African National Defence College and University of the Witwatersrand, respectively. Presentations at the universities of Limpopo, Venda, North-West and Fort Hare were made by AISA researchers covering research done in Uganda, Zambia, the DRC, and Tanzania and on general principles of conducting research. The lectures at Wits were on Biotechnology and Intellectual Property rights. AISA also organised in partnership with Erasmus Mundus, UNISA, IGD, DST andSolarhybrid a successful symposium and book launches at COP17 in Durban in November and December 2011, which gave young scholars the opportunity to present papers on climate change.

With respect to capacity building within the Institute, the research division continued to successfully capacitate six interns to develop as researchers in the social and natural sciences and one intern in administration. Interns have been able to co-author policy briefs with researchers and also work together with researchers on various internal and external events. They were also given an opportunity to collect data at the COP 17 and submit detailed information for the AISA Newsletter, their publications are reported. Two AISA interns were able to attend and present papers at the SASE conference in Bloemfontein, Free State. Four of our interns got employed by UNISA, Stats SA and Departments of Minerals and Energy (Kimberley) and Basic Education (Pretoria). The fifth one has gained admission at Wits to further his education.

AISA CEO, Dr Matlotleng Matlou supported the research division and created visibility for AISA through facilitation, participation and chairing of a number of Ambassadorial fora such as the one on Regime Change in Libya and recognition of the National Transitional Council, The Impact of European Union Membership Conditionalities on Romanian Politics, 2nd Africa-India Summit Enhancing partnership: Shared Vision, The Democratic Republic of Congo Presidential Elections and its Aftermath and The Role of Reggae Music in the African Liberation Struggle, workshops on regional integration and poverty reduction, development of effective implementation strategies for the Charter for African Culture Renaissance and high level seminars presented by distinguished scholars and international speakers from various embassies. He also presented on Medical Tourism – is this an option for Africa? at the 7th Annual World Health Tourism Congress from 15
– 17 October 2011.

The CEO participated in media appearances and partnership building exercises for AISA. Prof. Lukhele-Olorunju represented AISA on behalf of the CEO at the China-Africa Shared Development Seminar sponsored by CASS in June 2011. Ms April represented AISA on behalf of the CEO at the First China-Africa Think Tanks Forum (CATTF), a sideline event of the 8th Senior Officials Meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), held in Hangzhou and Jinhua, Zhejiang Province, China from 27 – 29 October 2011.

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