Sylvester Bongani Maphosa

Expert in peace and conflict studies with over 30 years of experience in qualitative and mixed methods research. Proven track record in developing impactful research programs in complex African contexts, enhancing ethical research and analytical skills among emerging scholars. Successful in securing research funding and creating practical learning modules that uphold high academic standards. Committed to providing leadership in research methodology and advancing university research objectives.

• Crossword
• Gardening

2017 National Research Foundation (NRF) Rated Researcher award, South Africa.

2017 Appointed Adjunct Professor University of Venda, South Africa.

2016 Human Sciences Research Council Research Excellence award, South Africa.

2015 Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) Outreach Lecturing Fund (OLF) award, United States.

2014 Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence (S-I-R) award, United States.

2007 University of KwaZulu-Natal NRF PhD award, South Africa.

2003 Matobo District Best Teacher (Geography) award, Zimbabwe.

• AISA Research and Publications Committee Member 2010-2021.
• AISA Pension Fund Board Committee Member 2015-2020.
• Referee (and reviewer) NRF Thuthuka Human and Social Sciences Research and Innovation Support and Advancement for Human and Infrastructure Capacity Development 2017-present.
• Referee (and reviewer) NRF Rated Researcher Human and Infrastructure Capacity Development 2015-present.
• Referee (and reviewer) Department of Higher Education and Training, Commonwealth Master's Scholarships 2017-present.
• Referee (and reviewer) South African Medical Journal 2016.
• Referee (and reviewer) Africa Insight Journal 2010-present.
• Referee (and reviewer) Journal of Peacebuilding and Development 2015-present.
• Referee (and reviewer) for African Renaissance Journal 2013.
• Higher Degrees Committee Member, University of KwaZulu-Natal, School of Politics 2008-2009.

INSTITUTIONS

• National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, 2017-2025.
• Department of Defense, Peace Missions Training Centre (PMTC), Gauteng, South Africa, 2011-2021.
• Department of Defense, South African National War College (SANWC), Gauteng, South Africa, 2011-2021.
• University of Venda, Limpopo (UNIVEN), South Africa, 2017-2021.
• University of Colorado Boulder (CUB), Boulder, Colorado, United States, 2014-2015.
• Red Rocks Community College (RRCC), Denver, Colorado, United States, 2014-2015.
• Franklin University, College of Arts and Sciences, Ohio, United States, March 2015.
• Addis Ababa: University, Institute of Peace and Security Studies (IPSS), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2012-2017.
• University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 2007-2009.
• Africa University (AU), Mutare, Zimbabwe, August-December 2004.
• Several rural secondary schools in post-conflict Zimbabwe environment, 1988-2002.

POSTGRADUATE COURSES TAUGHT (COURSE NUMBER, COURSE NAME & MODULE, INSTITUTION)

• POLS 716 Political Inquiry Research Methods, University of KwaZulu-Natal, School of Politics, Pietermaritzburg Campus.
• CRPS 704 Demilitarization, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies, Westville Campus, Durban, South Africa.
• CRPS 706 Security Alternatives, University of KwaZulu- Natal, Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies, Westville Campus, Durban, South Africa.
• CRPS 804 Forgiveness and Reconciliation, University of KwaZulu- Natal, Conflict Resolution and Peace, Westville Campus, Durban, South Africa.
• CRPS 806 Conflict Transformation, University of KwaZulu- Natal, Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies, Westville Campus, Durban, South Africa.
• DIRCO MRGG Managing Regional and Global Governance, Module 6, Regional Governance in Southern Africa, Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) with Germany GIZ, Development Bank of South Africa, AISA, and Witwatersrand University, Gauteng, South Africa.
• MPSA 9 Managing Peace and Security in Africa, Peace and Security in Africa: Theoretical Approaches Institutions/Practices: Introduction to DRC, Addis Ababa University, IPSS, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
• ACPST-ISS MNR 2014 Managing Natural Resources, Module 4: Natural Resources Management and conflicts/human security in Africa: Current situation, issues, challenges and perspectives, Institute for Security Studies, African Centre for Peace and Security Training, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
• 700 SML 201201 Senior Mission Leaders, Introduction and Structure of the African Union and Generic Peace Mission Structure, PMTC, Gauteng, South Africa.
• 700 SML 201201 Senior Mission Leaders, Peace Support Operations, PMTC, Gauteng, South Africa.
• 700 SML 201201 Senior Mission Leaders, Political and Civil Affairs, PMTC, Gauteng, South Africa.
• 700 SML 201201 Senior Mission Leaders, Negotiation and Mediation, PMTC, Gauteng, South Africa.
• 700 SML 201201 Senior Mission Leaders, Safety and Security, PMTC, Gauteng, South Africa.
• 700 SML 201201 Senior Mission Leaders, Military Operations Other Than War, PMTC, Gauteng, South Africa.
• 700 SML 201201 Senior Mission Leaders, Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration, PMTC, Gauteng, South Africa.
• 700 SML 201201 Senior Mission Leaders, Security Sector Reform, PMTC, Gauteng, South Africa.
• 700 SML 201201 Senior Mission Leaders, Integration and Peacebuilding, PMTC, Gauteng, South Africa.
• 700 SML 201201 Senior Mission Leaders, Protection of Civilians, PMTC, Gauteng, South Africa.
• 700 SML 201201 Senior Mission Leaders, Gender, PMTC, Gauteng, South Africa.
• Executive National Security Programme (ENSP) and Joint Senior Command and Staff Programme (JSCP) Seminars, SANWC, Gauteng, South Africa.

UNDERGRADUATE COURSES TAUGHT (COURSE NUMBER, COURSE NAME & MODULE, INSTITUTION)

• ENVS 107 Research Methods, AU, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Geography, Mutare, Zimbabwe.
• POLS 303 Political Change of Developing Regions, UKZN, School of Politics, Howard Campus, Durban, South Africa.
• ENVS 303 Environmental Hazards, AU, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Geography, Mutare, Zimbabwe.
• SOCY 4131 Human Security and Development in Africa, CUB, Department of Sociology, College of Arts and Sciences, Colorado, United States.
• NRLN 3000 Human Security and Development in Africa, CUB, Norlin Class, Colorado, United States.
• HUM/GEO/POS 275001, African Studies, RRCC, Colorado, United States.

SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHER AND ADMINISTRATOR

• 1988-2002 Taught Geography and Religious Studies in several rural secondary schools in post-conflict Zimbabwe with last posting at Minda Catholic High School, Matobo District, Matabeleland, Zimbabwe.

GUEST LECTURING

• National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Research Methods, 2017-present.
• University of Venda, Research Methods and Writing for Academic Publication, 2017-2021.
• Department of Defense, ENSP and JSCP, PMTC and SANWC, Gauteng, South Africa, The Changing Nature of Conflict and Peace Support Operations, 011-2021.
• University of Johannesburg, Research Methods, 2018.
• University of KwaZulu-Natal, Research Methods, 2017.
• University of Zululand, Research Methods, 2017.
• University of Fort Hare, Research Methods, 2016.
• North-West University, Mahikeng Campus, Research Methods, 2016.
• Naropa University, Boulder, Colorado, United States, Ubuntu and African Peacebuilding Insights, April 2015.
• Franklin University, College of Arts and Sciences, Ohio, Columbus, United States, Building Peace from Within, Victim Empowerment and Reconciliation, March 2015.
• Pan-African Parliament, Gallagher Estate, Midrand, Peace and Governance in Africa, 2010-2013.

SUPERVISION AND EXAMINATION

From 2010 to present mentored, supervised, and trained more than 3000 emerging scholars, researchers, and practitioners and played pivotal roles in building the capacity of state and non-state actors on conflict sensitive programming and provided guidance on conflict reduction, peace and reconciliation processes under auspices of:

• The research teams led at HSRC/AISA (interns, junior and senior researchers) as chief research specialist: lead peace and security unit 2010-2024 and interim research director for six months.
• Convener and lead HSRC/AISA Africa Young Graduate Scholars Conference (AYGS) 2010-2021.
• Referee (and reviewer) NRF Thuthuka Human and Social Sciences Research and Innovation Support and Advancement for Human and Infrastructure Capacity Development 2017 to present.
• Referee (and reviewer) NRF Rated Researcher Human and Infrastructure Capacity Development 2015 to present.
• Adjunct Professor University of Venda 2017-2021.
• Fulbright S-I-R CUB and RRCC United States, 2014-2015.
• Visiting lecturing University of Venda (2012-2021), Franklin University (U.S.) (March 2015), University of Fort Hare (2016), University of Johannesburg (2018), University of Zululand (2017), University of KwaZulu-Natal (2017), North-West University Mahikeng campus (2016), University of Limpopo (2012-2018), Naropa University (U.S.) (April 2015), National University of Science and Technology (Zimbabwe) (2017-present), Pan-African Parliament (2010-2013), Department of Defense PMTC and SANWC senior mission leaders course and seminars (2011-2021), and building capacity of state and non-state actors Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) Managing Regional and Global Governance (MRGG), Module 6, Regional Governance in Southern Africa (2012), Addis Ababa University MPSA 9 Managing Peace and Security in Africa, Peace and Security in Africa: Theoretical Approaches, IPSS (Ethiopia) (2012-2017), Institute of Security Studies, African Centre for Peace and Security Training ACPST-ISS MNR 2014 Managing Natural Resources, Module 4: Natural Resources Management and conflicts/human security in Africa (Ethiopia) (2013).
• Examination and supervision of doctoral and master's degree students (2012-present).

Planned, designed, and created course modules, content and rubrics for assessment in all courses listed under section Teaching Experience: Course Number Course Name & Module including:

• IPOL 706 (NQF 7) Conflict Management and Resolution course, University of Limpopo, Department of Politics and International Relations, 2012.
• Assisted Associate Professor John Moolakkattu, Gandhi-Luthuli Peace Chair, University of KwaZulu-Natal, School of Politics, Howard campus, including writing course templates for undergraduate and postgraduate Conflict Transformation programme.
• Designed peace education teaching and learning material in Burundi, DRC, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and South Africa for both formal and informal education settings to promote non-violence, social justice, and reconciliation in contexts marked by significant ongoing and/or historical conflict, violence, inequality, or political instability. Our goal to effect transformative changes in community groups' worldviews and behaviours from violence to peace included:
• Narrative theatre in Burundi and DRC:As part of doctoral research and collaborating with Centre Ubuntu a Catholic NGO in Burundi and DRC, with other actors in social capital and HIV/AIDS, poverty reduction, religion, local government and traditional community leaders, we developed ensembles of grassroots peace clubs in urban and rural communities and schools. The groups would share stories of lived experiences and communicate them through drama and theatre, music, dance, and poetry to create safe, “aesthetic spaces” for communities to share personal experiences, facilitate sympathetic awareness and insight or good judgement of each other for psychosocial healing, promote unity and reconciliation. We ensured lived experiences integrated development goals of poverty reduction and HIV/AIDS awareness into their drama.
• Community circles in Zimbabwe and South Africa:Using participatory action research (PAR) we designed dialogue spaces to manage long-standing conflicts between groups, e.g., community groups, farmers, traditional leaders, and local government through KwaZulu-Natal Christian Council initiatives on rural safety and farm killings in KwaZulu-Natal. In Zimbabwe, we created informal peace infrastructures for peace of local bottom-up committees to leverage peaceful relationships against various types of conflicts of ethnic, political parties, and elections violence. The processes involved intentional safe spaces for antagonistic groups to dialogue openly about conflict issues and together find ways of co-existence.
• Knowledge development: In South Africa working with the departments of education developed intentional materials integrating peace education principles into existing subjects like Life Orientation to equip learners with conflict resolution skills to address legacy of apartheid, xenophobia, and gender-based violence. We also employed campus lecturing, young graduate scholars' conferencing, and university-based peace centers to champion peacebuilding through decoloniality R&D training future leaders and workforce through knowledge development.

• ERP, 2017-present, NRF Thuthuka Human and Social Sciences Research and Innovation Support and Advancement for Human and Infrastructure Capacity Development funding instrument.
• ERP, 2013-present, NRF Rated Researcher Human and Infrastructure Capacity Development funding instrument.
• ERP, 2019-present, Department of Higher Education and Training, Commonwealth Master's Scholarships.
• ERP, 2023, Civilian Secretariat Police Service (CSPS) integrity management within South African Police Service (SAPS). Led and designed draft terms of reference (TOR) priority actions, tools, data collection, and analysis of data assessment of ethics, gift management, external remuneration, fraud and corruption, and whistleblower protection.
• ERP, 2021-2023, Department of Correctional Services (DCS) socioeconomic analysis of electronic monitoring (EM) in offender management. Designed and led field data protocol including tools, data collection, analysis, and report writing of social and economic factors associated with EM offenders under parole and community supervision. Provided crucial data for developing EM solutions and recommendations for its implementation for safe and secure conditions of detention that uphold human dignity and reduce taxpayer expenditure.
• ERP, 2019-2020, Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR), Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR), and International Centre for Non-Violence (ICNV) project on Mental Health and Psycho-Social Support (MHPSS) and Peacebuilding (PB).
• ERP, facilitator, and author, 2015-2017, Wilson Centre Africa Program Southern Voices Peacebuilding Network (SVPN).
• ERP, 2016, International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Nairobi, Kenya, project on youth empowerment Understanding and Addressing Youth Experiences with Violence, Exclusion and Injustice.
• ERP, 2011-2017, African Peace Supporters and Trainers Association (APSTA) Working Group under auspices of the African Union (AU). Designed and led research and training services for AU peacekeeping and peace support operations.
• ERP and facilitator, February 2012, Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) with Germany GIZ, Development Bank of South Africa, AISA, and Witwatersrand University initiative on Managing Regional and Global Governance (MRGG), Module 6, Regional Governance in Southern Africa.
• ERP and author, 2010-2012, Institute of Security Studies (ISS), Pretoria, and Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Accra, Ghana, project on Proxy Cross-border Conflicts in Africa.
• ERP and facilitator, 2007-2008, KwaZulu-Natal Christian Council (KZNCC) initiative on rural community safety and farm killings in KwaZulu-Natal.

Dr Maphosa authored, co-authored and co-edited more than 35 research outputs in peer-reviewed sources including journal articles, policy briefs, books, book chapters, and unpublished research reports, and led numerous conference presentations sch as:

BOOKS

• Maphosa, S.B. & Keasley, A. 2016. Peace Education in Fragile African Contexts: What's going to make a Difference? Pretoria: AISA Publications ISBN: 978-0-7983-0496-2.
• Maphosa, S.B., Deluca, L. & Keasley, A. 2013. Building Peace from Within: An Examination of Community-based Peacebuilding and Transitions in Africa. Pretoria: AISA Publications. ISBN No. 978-0-7983-0440-5.
• Maphosa, S.B. 2011. Civil Society Organizations and Peacebuilding: A case Study of Burundi. Durban: UKZN. OCLC No. 761163853.

CHAPTERS IN BOOKS

• Ramoroka, T., Maphosa, SB, Gordon, T, & Malandela, G. 2024. Human Security of Immigrants and Host Communities in South Africa: In Integration a Sufficient Pre-condition for Safety and Security? In Social integration of Immigrants and Social Capital Building to Improve Social Cohesion. HSRC Press.
• Maphosa, S.B. & Keasley, A. 2019. Research Leader-Follower Development for Peacebuilding and Social Justice: The Africa Young Graduate Scholars Development Program. In Peace, Reconciliation and Social Justice Leadership in the 21st Century, [Building Leadership Bridges, Vol. 8]. Emerald Publishing Limited https://doi.org/10.1108/S2058-880120190000008006
• Maphosa, S.B. 2016. A Review of the African Union Regional Efforts to Eliminate the Lord's Resistance Army in Central Africa. In A Comprehensive Review of African Conflicts and Regional Interventions. African Union Commission and APSTA Secretariat. ISBN No. 978-9966-1789-4.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

• Dube, B., Maphosa, S.B., Mershon, C., & Miner-Romanoff, K., 2017. Innovation in Conducting Writing Retreats for Academic Staff in Higher Education. South African Journal of Higher Education 31(2): 4-21.
• Maphosa, S.B. & Keasley, A. 2015. Disrupting the Interruptions: Re-considering Ubuntu, Reconciliation and Rehumanization. African Renaissance 12(2): 16-47. http://reference.sabinet.co.za/sa_epublication_article/aa_afren_v12_n2_a2
• Lukhele-Olorunju, P., Maphosa, S.B. & Mutanga, S. 2014. Science, Technology, Innovation and Human Security in Africa: Issues, Challenges and Lessons. Africa Insight 44(2): 158-180.
• Maphosa, S.B. 2013. Thinking Creatively About Methodological Issues in Conflict Affected Societies: A Primer from the Field. Journal of Peace and Development 8(2): 91-104.
• Maphosa, S.B. 2009. Building Peace from Below: The CENTRE UBUNTU in Burundi. Africa Peace and Conflict Journal 3(1): 58-71.