Dr Maréve Biljohn is a senior lecturer and the academic head of the Department of Public Administration and Management at the University of the Free State. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree with specialisation in public administration (UFS). She is an NRF-rated researcher who uses the lens of social innovation and transformative social innovation to contribute sustainable solutions to local government service delivery challenges. Her research has been presented at national and international conferences, and she has frequently been an invited speaker and panellist at international conferences and public sector events.

Lerato Peter Molekane previously served as academic coordinator for the BAdmin and Higher Certificate programme based on the South Campus. His guiding principle is ‘Access, Support, and Success’. He has more than 20 years of teaching experience at undergraduate level and is currently lecturing first- and second-year modules. His research interests are in teaching and education in public administration, local government, and public governance.

Liezel Lues is a Public Administration and Management Professor at the University of the Free State, South Africa. Before joining the UFS, she worked in Human Resource Development at the Free State Office of the Premier and the National Department of Water Affairs. Having completed a post-doctoral tenure, she joined the University of the Free State in 2006, later serving as Programme Director and Head of Department. She served as Deputy Chairperson and Chairperson of the Association of Southern African Departments of Public Administration and Management (ASSADPAM) and was a member of the Steering Committee of the International Commission on the Accreditation of Public Administration and Training Programs (ICAPA-SC). She is currently the President of the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Administration 

She has published, presented, and supervised widely, serves on various journal editorial boards, holds an NRF rating, and has been awarded the Senior Researcher Faculty Award on two occasions. Her research focuses on public-sector leadership accountability for sustainable democracies.

Administrative professional supporting the financial, operational, and academics of the department. Responsibilities include financial administration, budget monitoring, procurement, financial compliance, and the coordination of payments, contracts, and travel arrangements in accordance with institutional policies. I also provide administrative support for staff appointments, departmental meetings, research activities, and academic events.

Ronél Theron serves as academic administrator, supporting the administration of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Her responsibilities include assessment and timetable administration, academic records management, and meeting administration. She assists with the planning and coordination of academic events and works closely with students, academic staff, and institutional stakeholders. She is recognised for being organised, detail-oriented, and committed to providing reliable administrative support.

Carmil Mohoang is an administrative professional who supports the financial, operational, and academic aspects of the department. Her responsibilities include financial administration, budget monitoring, procurement, financial compliance, and the coordination of payments, contracts, and travel arrangements in accordance with institutional policies. She also provides administrative support for staff appointments, departmental meetings, research activities, and academic events.  

Takobe Tlale holds a Master of Public Administration and Management and a degree in financial information systems. She has more than 15 years of professional experience in local government finance, auditing, governance, and public financial management. She is currently a lecturer specialising in public finance, local government policy, and legislative environment. Her research focuses on strengthening accountability within the South African public service. Her research interests include public financial management, social innovation, collaborative governance, and multistakeholder approaches to improving public service delivery. Her work bridges academic enquiry with practical governance challenges to promote accountable, transparent, and effective public institutions. 

Rambuti Mohale is an early-career academic and public sector specialist in public administration, municipal management, and public finance. He currently serves as a lecturer in municipal financial management at the University of the Free State, where he teaches undergraduate modules and contributes to academic administration, curriculum delivery, and research development. His studies focus on the financial health and fiscal resilience of South African municipalities. Before joining academia, Rambuti gained valuable experience at the Free State Provincial Treasury, where he worked on municipal budgeting, MFMA compliance, financial recovery plans, funding plans, and mSCOA implementation. His research and professional interests include local government management, municipal finance, and governance.  

Prof Syanda A Mthuli is an associate professor in the Department of Public Administration and Management, with an academic career spanning various public institutions of higher learning in South Africa. He teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate courses and has more than a decade of academic and administrative experience through successful lecturing and supervising honours, master’s, and doctoral research projects. He has also held various academic roles, having started as a teaching assistant and progressing to junior researcher, lecturer, senior lecturer, and discipline academic leader/head of department. His research interests are social science research methods, political leadership and competition, bureaucratic performance, participatory and collaborative governance, as well as environmental public administration and governance. Prof Mthuli is active in the international academic ecosystem through committees and networks spanning Canada, the United States of America, and Western and Central Europe. 

Dr Maonei Gladys Mangwanya, a senior lecturer and subject head on the University of the Free State Qwaqwa Campus, teaches public finance and municipal finance at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and supervises postgraduate research. Her research interests are municipal finance, local government, and service delivery, with a focus on South Africa and the broader African context. Her scholarship examines the financial, governance, and institutional challenges that shape local government performance, sustainable development, and the effective delivery of public services. Dr Mangwanya is committed to teaching and learning that connects theory, policy, and practice while developing students’ critical thinking, analytical, and research capabilities. Her research contributes to evidence-based policymaking and scholarly debates on the sustainability and effectiveness of local governance systems. Through her teaching, research, and academic leadership, she contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and advances knowledge that supports inclusive, resilient, and sustainable communities across Africa.

Mary Masiloane holds a Master of Development Studies from the University of the Free State and is currently completing a PhD in public administration. Her research focuses on public administration, municipal governance, potable water infrastructure asset management, sustainable service delivery, and local government reform. Her scholarship examines how effective governance, institutional capacity, leadership, and evidence-based policy can strengthen municipal performance and advance sustainable development in South Africa. Her work contributes to strengthening local government institutions and promoting equitable, reliable, and sustainable water service delivery in support of the Sustainable Development Goals. She also has experience in teaching at undergraduate level and in postgraduate supervision, and she is committed to advancing public sector governance through research, teaching, and academic engagement.

Dr Anuoluwapo Durokifa holds a PhD in Public Administration from the University of Fort Hare and is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Public Administration and Management at the University of the Free State, Qwaqwa Campus. She teaches at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and supervises postgraduate research in public administration, management, and governance. Her research interests include development and sustainable development in Africa; gender equality and poverty reduction; public-sector governance and reform; public policy; local government; digital transformation; and AI policy and governance. Across these areas, her scholarship examines how inclusive institutions, effective policies, equitable social outcomes, and emerging technologies can advance sustainable development in Africa. Dr Durokifa has published more than 30 peer-reviewed scholarly outputs and contributes through postgraduate supervision, academic reviewing, external moderation, and curriculum development. Her work is guided by a commitment to strengthening ethical, responsive, innovative, and development-oriented public institutions across Africa.

Dr Malinopi Phate teaches public administration and management theories as well as public administration and management in action on the Qwaqwa Campus. She holds a PhD with specialisation in public administration and management and has extensive experience in the public sector. Her teaching and research interests include public policy, public resource management, social innovation, democracy, and community participation. She is committed to fostering critical thinking, student-centred learning, and evidence-based solutions to contemporary public sector challenges through teaching, research, and community engagement.