Phumla Ndaba-Hlati

Phumla Ndaba-Hlati serves as the Portfolio Head for Inclusive Growth at UNDP South Africa since September 2020, bringing extensive expertise in Local Economic Development across Southern Africa. Currently, Phumla is a Doctoral Researcher at the University of the Western Cape, focusing on the role of local government in Local Economic Development within diverse governance frameworks. Previous roles include Regional Advisor for Local Economic Development at the Commonwealth Local Government Forum and Executive Manager for Economic Development at the Department of Cooperative Governance. Phumla has held various positions in multiple governmental departments, contributing to economic strategy and development. Educational qualifications include a Master of Science in Resource Economics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Bachelor of Commerce degrees from the University of the Western Cape.