Nthabiseng Mohlakoana, Researcher

Name: Nthabiseng Mohlakoana

E-mail: n.mohlakoana@utwente.nl

Phone: +31 53 489 1158

Fax: +31 53 489 4850

Before joining CSTM as a student, Nthabi (as she is commonly known) Mohlakoana worked for the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in Cape Town South Africa as a Chief Researcher in the Democracy, Governance and Service Delivery unit where she was involved in research studies on energy and development. At the HSRC, Nthabi was a committed member of the Research Ethics Committee. Prior to that, she studied and worked at the University of Cape Town’s Energy Research Centre where she obtained her Masters in Energy Studies (2003). In 2006, Nthabi was selected by ENERGIA (the International Network on Gender and Sustainable Energy) to head the Gender and Energy Network of South Africa (GENSA) as the National Focal Point based at a research institution.

Nthabi received a scholarship from the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust in South Africa and in September 2010 she officially joined CSTM to pursue her PhD degree. Her research study is titled: ‘South African energy policy implementation and the poor’. The study will determine the factors that influence the lack of implementation of Free Basic Alternative Energy (FBAE) policy in the poor rural areas of South Africa by analysing the actors (both government and targets), their motivation and cognitions as well as capacity and power using the Contextual Interaction Theory. Nthabi is supervised by Prof. Dr. Hans Th. A. Bressers and co-supervised by Dr. Joy Clancy.

Expertise and Research Interests:

Selected publications and presented papers:

Mohlakoana, N., Reddy, Y and Wolpe, P. (2010). Power to the people can change lives. In: Cape Times newspaper, 24 August 2010, pp 9.

Dugard, J. and Mohlakoana, N. (2009). More work for women: A rights-based analysis of women’s access to basic services in South Africa. In: South African Journal on Human Rights, 25 (3), pp. 546-572. Johannesburg: Centre for Applied Legal Studies, University of the Witwatersrand.

Mohlakoana, N. and Annecke, W. (2009). Use of Liquified Petroleum Gas by South African Low-income Urban Households: A Case Study. In: Journal of Energy in Southern Africa, 20 (4), November 2009.

Mncwango, M. B., Struwig, J., Mohlakoana, N and Kivilu, J. M. (2008). A Socio-economic impact study of electrification process. Commissioned to the HSRC by the Department of Minerals and Energy, September 2008.

Mohlakoana, N and Annecke, W. (2008). Finally Breaking the Barriers: SA case study on LPG use by low-income urban households. Paper presented at the Clean Cooking Fuels workshop as part of the conference hosted by the International Association of Energy Economics in Istanbul, Turkey, 16-17 June 2008.

Mazibuko, S., Hart, T., Mogale, M., Mohlakoana, N. and Aliber, M. (2008). Baseline information on technology-oriented initiatives in rural areas to promote economic development. Report submitted to the Department of Science and Technology, February.

Seager, J. & Mohlakoana, N. (2007). Horizon scanning in South Africa: the potential impacts of climate change on poor households. Cape Town: HSRC. Commissioned by the Presidency, September.

Annecke, W., Mohlakoana, N. and Dobbins, A. (2007). From Electricity to LPG and back again: Power Cuts, LPG Supply and the Poor in Khayelitsha 2006/2007. Study funded by the South African National Energy Research Institute (SANERI).

Mohlakoana et al. (2006). Audit of Women in the Energy Sector: Ten Years On. Report written for the Department of Science and Technology.

Cowan, B, Mohlakoana, N & Lloyd P. Improving access to electricity: lessons from Khayelitsha. Paper presented at the DUE conference, March 2005.

Mohlakoana, N. (2004). Rural electrification through Solar Home Systems in the Eastern Cape: Affordability and policy implications. Paper presented at UIE International Conference, Durban, 18-23 January 2004. An edited version of the paper is also published in: Energy in Africa magazine, second issue, February 2004-April 2004.

Mohlakoana N. (2003). Needs-based Impact Assessment of Non-grid Rural Electrification: A Case of Eastern Cape. MPhil dissertation. University of Cape Town.

Mohlakoana, N. (2003). Off-grid electrification and policy implications. Paper presented at the Technology Transfer Workshop, Durban, 6-8 August 2003.

Afrane-Okese, Y & Mohlakoana, N. (2001). Operational challenges of large scale off-grid PV rural electrification programme in SA. Paper presented at the International Solar Energy Society 2001 Solar World Congress.

Thom, C. & Mohlakoana, N. (2000). The use and impact of electricity in Garagopola-Legabeng. EDRC, University of Cape Town.

Mohlakoana, N. & Cowan, B. 1999. Is there a quick fix? Seed update, 1 (2).

Cowan, B, Banks, D, Mohlakoana, N & Tyani, L. (1999). A preliminary investigation of energy needs, energy supply initiatives and opportunities of improvements in the Maluti and Mount Fletcher districts of eastern Cape. EDRC, UCT.