Dr Yazini Funeka April

DEPARTMENT: Developmental, Capable and Ethical State (DCES)
TELEPHONE: 012 302 2000
EMAIL: yapril@hsrc.ac.za

Dr Funeka Yazini April, Coordinator, BRICS Research Centre, Human Science Research Council Dr April works at the Human Science Research Council as the Coordinator, BRICS Research Centre. She has extensive expertise on BRICS countries and industrialization in Africa. Dr April is a distinguished scholar with several publications which include the following edited books: FOCAC 2018: Agricultural Modernization and Industrialization, FOCAC 2015: A New Beginning of China-Africa Relations, Perspectives on South Africa-China Relations, and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation: The Politics of Human Resource Development. Dr April completed her PhD at the University of Limpopo. She studied for a Masters at the University of South Carolina, United States in International Studies. She also studied at John Marshall Law School in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr April also has also published over 40 book chapters, journal articles, and policy briefs such as Prospective Mining Industrialization Partnerships between South Africa and China. Understanding An Aspect of the Red Dragon's Governance and Economic Growth, and Assessing Local Governance between South Africa and China.

Dr April also conducted research on the Proposed Special Economic Zones: One Stop Shop for South Africa, A Consultative Document for the South African Department of Trade and Industry which was converted into a hand book manual for local government officials. Dr April has also undertaken research on China?s Opening Up and Reform: Lessons for South Africa, which included visits to Tianjin Technology and Economic Development Area: TEDA, China ? Lekki Free Trade Zone Headquarters, Beijing and the Guangzhou Development District in 2015.

The aforementioned research was sponsored by the Embassy of the People?s Republic of China in South Africa. In 2012, Dr April also did industrial fieldwork sponsored by the South African Department of Science and Technology through the Africa Institute of South Africa which was implemented at Zhejiang Province with a focus on Zhejiang Yiwu Industrial Park, China?s 10th SEZ. The name of this research project was titled: Assessing Strategies of Special Economic Zones in China to Assist Industrial Growth in South Africa. The findings were used as a comparative with the Limpopo Province in South Africa and are currently being applied there. Finally, Dr April has implemented various fieldwork studies on mining and industrialisation in South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo

Recent

Chinese Embassy funding for the BRICS Just Energy and Transition Conference

Chinese Embassy in South Africa contribution towards the Just Energy and Transition Conference to be held on 22 to 23 November 2023....

Just Energy Transition from Coal to Renewables

in response to South Africas energy crisis created by Eskoms lack of capacity to produce electricity efficiently. South Africa currently relies on co....

DSI NRF Conference Funding 2023 - Yazini April

National Research Foundation (NRF) - Dr FNYN April - Travel, Training, and Conference Grants: DSI-NRF Conference Fund 2023 - Assessing the Role of the....

Examining Prospects of Just Transition and the District Development Model in The Waterberg District: The Case of Eskom and Exxaros Hydrogen Production

The purpose of this project is to develop a Just Transition methodology that can be replicated in other coal mines in the country. The project also se....

Impact of Corruption on SME Growth in Africa - South Korean Embassy

In August 2020, the South Korean Embassy decided to join the Brics Research Centre (BRC) HSRC by co-hosting a webinar on the Impact of Corruption on S....

Synthesis evaluation of State Capacity - Focus on DGs & HoDs

The system under which DG's and HoD's operate including but not limited to leadership, skills, configuration, processes and functioning, employment co....

BRICS Energy Architecture - Phase 2

Promoting Economic Growth and Development....