Centre for Policy Studies


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As an independent research organisation, CPS employs highly skilled researchers to execute demanding research projects.

Robin Richards Research Programme Manager	manages and coordinates the overall research programme and related activities, as well as managing the research staff of the organisation to ensure high quality research output through effective use of organisational resources. Robin studied at the University of Natal, Durban where he obtained a Masters degree and has worked for a variety of organisations in the public and non-profit sector. He has research interests in a number of fields including youth development and attitudes to democracy; urbanisation and informal settlements; HIV-AIDS; land reform Quality of Life in South African towns and cities.
Boitumelo Matlala Researcher	she joined the Centre in 2010 as a Researcher. She holds a Masters of Science in Development Planning from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. She has worked at the Wits Writing Centre as a consultant, with Planact and has been a research associate at London University's School of Oriental and Africa Studies- W foundation Water for Africa project. She is currently a member of Corus a South African Research Network, the Indian South African Research Project, and the Dublin-Johannesburg-Cape Town Research Network. She is an International Ford Fellowship Alumni. Her interests include gender, education, civil society, urban and local governance, participatory democracy, advocacy and response to policy.
Aubrey Matshiqi Research Associate	Specialising in national politics in South Africa, polotical parties, especially the ruling ANC, political succession.
Naefa Kahn Research Associate	formerly a lecturer in the International Relations department at the University of the Witwatersrand where she lectured on International Human Rights Law, Naefa Khan is currently a researcher at the University of Cape Town, working on Islamic Law in Africa. Her areas of interest areas are law and politics in Africa, with a special focus on North Africa, the African Union and the interplay between Islamic law and International Human Rights law in Africa. Her most recent works have included research and writing on African Constitutionalism and the legal and political ramifications of land reform in South Africa. From 2007 Ms Khan has become a co-editor for the Annual Review of Islam in Southern Africa. She holds a BA LLB and a Masters degree in International Relations from the University of Cape Town. She also completed a short course on Justice, Human Rights and Peace at the University for Peace in Addis Ababa.
Maxine Reitzes Research Associate	is a research associate at the Centre. She holds a BA cum laude from Rhodes University, and an MA cum laude in Social and Political Theory from Sussex University. She was a research fellow at Cambridge University from 1994-1996 on the Global Security Programme. She lectured in politics, social theory and philosophy for 11 years, before joining the research community full-time. She has 14 years of experience of policy research, and was previously a Senior Researcher at the CPS. She was also a Director of the Democracy and Governance Programme at the Human Sciences Research Council. She specializes in migration and civil society, but is also interested in, and has researched in the areas of local government, democratization and governance and identity. She has worked for a variety of local and international funders and clients. She has also published articles, chapters in books and research reports, both nationally and internationally.
Khehla Shubane Research Associate	a former political activist who served time on Robben Island in the past, and also well-known political analyst and public commentator, Khehla Shubane is currently an independent Development Consultant around issues of low cost housing and local Government. Formerly a CPS Senior Researcher for years and subsequently a Research Fellow, he went on to play a role in the establishment of the Nelson Mandela Foundation. He also served as Chief Executive Officer of Business Map Foundation(a research institution focusing on black economic empowerment and monitoring foreign investment patterns). Until recently, Khehla was one of the long serving CPS Board Members before becoming a Research Associate.