Debbie Budlender, Research Specialist

Debbie’s academic background is in economics, sociology, mathematics and computer programming. She obtained degrees through UCT (BA Economics, MA Industrial Sociology) and Unisa (BSc Computer Science and Mathematics). She has worked predominantly in the fields of gender, labour and economic analysis, sociology of law, education, statistics and budget analysis. While at C A S E she has been seconded to the Women’s National Coalition, the Law, Race & Gender Research Unit of UCT, and to Statistics South Africa as a consultant on gender, labour and other issues. She has also been the overall editor and co-ordinator of the South African Women’s Budget Initiative. Debbie is currently working with the Centre for Actuarial Research. She joined C A S E in 1988, and she is also a board member since 2001.

Egines joined CASE in August 2008 as a Research Project Officer. She studied for a BSC in Mathematics and Statistics in 1999 at the University of Zimbabwe and also a Masters in Population Studies in 2007. Her dissertation focused on the Leading Causes of Death in South Africa. She has worked for the Central Statistical Office of Zimbabwe for 4 years as the Gender Statistician and was the gender focal person for the department. During her stay at the department, she has been seconded to NGO’s like UNICEF, UNIFEM and UNFPA to offer technical assistance as they carried out surveys in the fields of gender and children’s rights. She has also worked for Sehlano Research in Johannesburg as a Research Manager. Her areas of interest are Research Methodology, Demography, Gender Issues, Child Rights and Social Assistance. 

Leilanie Williams, Research Project Officer

Leilanie Williams obtained a BA in Humanities majoring in Sociology and Psychology (2002-2004) and a Masters of Philosophy (MPhil) in Community and Development (2005-2006) from the University of Stellenbosch. Her thesis describes the barriers to HIV testing amongst youth males (18-25 years) from Uitenhage, located in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape.  Leilanie joined C A S E in January 2007 as a research intern and is currently employed as a research project officer. While being at C A S E, Leilanie worked on projects related to gender, children, poverty, government service delivery, social security, crime, and health. Leilanie has experience in the application of qualitative and quantitative research methodology. Leilanie’s interest areas are youth development, HIV and AIDS related issues and government service delivery.

Mbuso Moyo, Research Project Officer

Mbuso joined CASE in May 2010 as a Research Project Officer. He studied for a BA (Hons) Economic History and History in 2003 at the University of Zimbabwe. He also studied for a BA (Hons) degree in Development Studies (2005) and also a Masters in Development Studies (2006) at Wits. His MA dissertation focused on evaluating the effectiveness of public works both as a policy framework to provide temporary relief to poverty and unemployment, and as a strategy to permanently alleviate structural poverty and unemployment in South Africa. During January to May 2007, Mbuso worked at Wits University as a tutor to first year sociology students after which he joined Health & Development Africa (Pty) (HDA) as a research intern in June 2007 to December 2008. Mbuso’s portfolio at HDA generally included delivering a range of services such as conducting literature reviews, developing data collection instruments; coding and analysing data. In January 2009, Mbuso joined Development Research Africa (Pty) (DRA) as a Data Manager but he later became a researcher and project manager. At the time of joining CASE in May 2010, Mr. Moyo was a project manager at DRA. Mbuso’s areas of interest are research methodology, data analysis, project management, HIVAIDS issues and OVC programming.

 Ketleetso Motsepe , Researcher

Ketleetso completed her undergraduate degree at Rhodes University, where she majored in Politics & International Studies and Industrial Sociology. She then went on to do her honours degree in International Relations at the University of Pretoria, majoring in political theory, foreign policy, comparative politics, political conflict and international political economy. She joined C A S E as a research intern from July to December 2009. In January 2010 she joined C A S E permanently as a Researcher. She has been involved in a study assessing the implementation of service delivery norms and standards at the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) offices and services sites as well as a study probing the impact of mining projects on mining communities while working at
C A S E. 

INTERNS

Thulani Sineke, Research Intern

 Thulani completed his undergraduate degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, where he majored in Law, Political Science and Philosophy. He then went on to do an honors degree in Political Science at the same institution, this time majoring in International Relations, International Political Economy, New Theories of Democracy, and Political Change in Africa. He then enrolled for a MA degree in Political Science which he intends to complete in future, Thulani has  tutored International Relations, Philosophy and Ethics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and he also worked as a Media Monitor for MMA.He joined CASE in March 2010 as a research intern.

 Querida Saal, Research Intern

 Querida completed her Bachelors degree at Stellenbosch University, majoring in Political Science and Economics, in 2007. In 2008 and 2009, she completed an Honours and a Masters degree respectively, both in Political Science. Her Masters dissertation focused on the obstacles that prevent poor women, living on farms in the Western Cape, from optimal political participation. Her areas of interest are Public Policy Analysis, Participatory Democracy, Community Development and Gender Issues.  She joined CASE as a research intern in March 2010.