The SASAS team

Benjamin Roberts

SASAS coordinator
Developmental, Capable and Ethical State (DCES)
Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)
Private Bag X07, Dalbridge, Durban, 4014
Tel: 27 (31) 242 5606
Fax: 27 (31) 242 5401
E-mail: broberts@hsrc.ac.za

 

Benjamin Roberts, Coordinator: South African Social Attitudes Survey; Research Specialist: DCES, HSRC

Ben Roberts has a BSc in town and regional planning (cum laude) from the University of the Witwatersrand and an MSc in urban and regional planning (development) (cum laude) from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Before joining the HSRC, he was research fellow in the Population and Poverty Studies Programme at the School of Development Studies at the University of Natal.

His areas of research interest include the analysis of poverty and inequality dynamics, sustainable livelihood development, poverty reduction strategy papers (PRSPs), and monitoring progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

He has extensive experience in the micro-econometric analysis of household surveys, with a particular emphasis on the measurement of poverty. He was one of the researchers involved with South Africa’s first large-scale panel study, the KwaZulu-Natal Income Dynamics Study (KIDS, 1998), as well as Department of Land Affairs' Quality of Life surveys. In addition, he has assisted various Southern African states in respect of PRSPs and MDG processes.

He worked with the UNDP and Government of Lesotho to help develop mechanisms to monitor poverty and evaluate the impact of poverty reduction measures. He also helped prepare that country's first Millennium Development Goals Report and recently completed a review of Lesotho's PRSP process for the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.

More Also recently (please provide years), he has conducted poverty and inequality analysis for Namibia’s MDGR, run training on national poverty line specification in Zimbabwe, and participated in a scoping exercise to help inform the design of Department for International Development (DFID)'s envisaged regional hunger and vulnerability programme for Southern Africa.

Jare Struwig

SASAS coordinator
Developmental, Capable and Ethical State (DCES)
Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)
Private Bag X41, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
Tel: 27 (12) 302 2511
E-mail: Jstruwig@hsrc.ac.za 

 

Jarè Struwig, Coordinator: South African Social Attitudes Survey; Chief Research Manager: DCES, HSRC

Jarè Struwig holds a Master’s degree in Research Psychology from the University of Pretoria. She has gained extensive experience in media studies and survey research and has authored several research papers, journal articles and chapters in books.  She has also presented at national and international conferences and is currently the South African representative on the International Social Surveys Programme (ISSP).

During her research career she has conducted several research projects and was also involved in monitoring the first democratic election in 1994 where she was responsible for quantitative media monitoring. Since then she has been involved in every election monitoring freeness and fairness of elections. She is currently the co- manager of the South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS). Her career objective is to help this survey grow even further to serve as an evidence base for improving social change in the country. 

Mercy Ngungu

Data Manager
Developmental, Capable and Ethical State (DCES)
Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)
Private Bag X41, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
Tel: 27 (12) 302 2711
E-Mail: mngungu@hsrc.ac.za

Mercy Ngungu, Data Manager: South African Social Attitudes Survey; DCES, HSRC

Mercy Ngungu is a Data manager in the DCES Division at the HSRC. She is an established data scientist with experience spanning the actuarial, mathematical and statistical modelling spaces. She has over 5 years’ experience in research with key expertise in survey designs, database design & administration, data management, data analysis and reporting. In addition she has executed household quantitative and qualitative surveys.

She holds a BSc Honours in Actuarial Science form Jomo Kenyatta University, Kenya and a Master’s degree in Mathematical Technology from Tshwane University of Technology. Before joining the HSR Mercy worked for KPMG as a Senior Data Analyst specialising in designing, modelling and auditing and designing Data and analytics in-house tools as well as client’s data analysis. She has worked as a data manager for South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS) and Independent Electoral commission (IEC) Exit Polls at the HSRC.

Busi Mamba

SASAS administrator
Developmental, Capable and Ethical State (DCES)
Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)
Private Bag X41, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
Tel: 27 (12) 302 2532
E-Mail: bmamba@hsrc.ac.za


Busisiwe Mamba, Project Administrator - South African Social Attitudes Survey; DCES, HSRC

Busisiwe Mamba has a National Diploma in Public Management from the University of South Africa (UNISA)  and is currently studying towards a  BADMIN degree at UNISA. Before joining the HSRC, she worked for Insignia Five Technology (i5) as a Programme Administrator.  She is currently  the project administrator  of the South African Social Attitude Survey (SASAS) and is responsible for all the logistics and planning involved in this national survey. She insures that national training sessions take place and liaises with the all teams in the provinces during the fieldwork process.  She is also responsible for the  financial administration of the project.  All supply chain processes and protocols associated with this national project is handled by her.