Dr Olivia Kunguma is a Lecturer in Strategic Disaster Management (DIMS 5820), Legal and Institutional Arrangements (DIML 5810) and Management of Media Relations and Strategic Communication (DIMM 7910). She has supervised and graduated more than 20 Masters research dissertations, of which most of them were published. She is also a promoter of PhD candidates. Dr Kunguma has published in peer reviewed journals and has presented at a number of national and international conferences. She holds qualifications in Masters of Disaster Management, BA Integrated Marketing Communication, BA Honours Integrated Marketing Communication and PhD in Disaster Management. She is a professional member of the Disaster Management Institute of Southern Africa (DMISA) and the South African Communications Association (SACOMM). She is also an accredited trainer in the Sphere Project: Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response. Her areas of research interest are disaster information management, risk communication, strategic communication, disaster risk reduction planning and development, and disaster management legislation. Dr Kunguma has been involved in numerous research projects such as the development of crisis communication plan, development of a national drought plan, the review of the South African National Disaster Management Framework and the COVID-19 disaster management institutional arrangements review. 

This is a short list of Dr Kunguma`s latest publications:

1. Lunga W, Musarurwa C, Kunguma O, Sobane K, Baloyi C, Malandela G, Tshabalala S and Hongoro C. 2025. Critical zones, disaster risk science, and education for sustainable development in Africa. Frontiers in Education. 10:1635554. https://doi:10.3389/feduc.2025.1635554   


2. Kunguma O, Awah LS, Petersen I and Lunga W. 2025. Assessing disaster vulnerability in an informal settlement of Cape Town, South Africa, through the MOVE framework. Front. Built Environ. 11:1693836. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbuil.2025.1693836   


3. Kunguma, O. 2025. ‘Municipal Disaster Risk Planning’ in Kariuki, P and van der Waldt, G. (ed.), Municipal Planning in a post-2024 South Africa: Navigating Unity and Coalition Governance, Auckland Park, Johannesburg, UJ Press. pp. 163-186. https://doi.org/10.36615/9780796128089


4. Musarurwa, C.; Kaifa, J.M.; Ziweya, M.; Moyo, A.; Lunga, W.; Kunguma, O. 2025.Health Inequalities in Primary Care: A Comparative Analysis of Climate Change-Induced Expansion of Waterborne and Vector-Borne Diseases in the SADC Region. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 22, x. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22081242


5. Okolie, C.C., Danso-Abbeam, G., Ogundeji, A.A., Owolabi, S.T., Kunguma, O. 2025. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through nature-based solutions amidst Climate change. Evidence from Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases. Sustainable Futures. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sftr.2025.100855


6. Nyam, Y. , Kunguma, O. and Selelo, O. 2025, A Systems Thinking Approach to Mitigating Xenophobia in South Africa for Socio-Economic Development. Syst Res Behav Sci. https://doi.org/10.1002/sres.3168


7. Lunga W, Malandela G, Kaifa JM, Baloyi C, Musarurwa C, Ramoroka T and Kunguma O. 2025. Socially inclusive infrastructure for disaster risk reduction in urban planning: insights from the SADC region. Front. Built Environ. 11:1586040. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbuil.2025.1586040

1.  Alfred Nzo District Municipality Fire and Flood Contingency Plans (2025)
2. Alfred Nzo District Municipality Wide Risk Assessment (2024)
3. Review of eThekwini Disaster Risk and Response Management Level 2 Plan (3 months) (2023)
4. Synthesis report informing the review of the disaster management system in South Africa (2023)
5. An Efficiency and gap analysis of the National Disaster Management Framework of 2005 (2020-2022/3)
6. Review of the disaster management institutional arrangements and coordination modalities for the COVID-19 response at national, provincial, and local levels: March to December 2020 (level 5 to level 1) (6 months project, 2021)
7. Development of an Integrated National Drought Plan (My deliverable was to develop a Drought Information Management and Communication Plan). (2-year project commission by the South African National Disaster Management Centre -2020).
8. Development of training materials (playing cards) for The Sphere Project 2011. Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response. (1-year project completed in 2017).
9. Development of the Masters of Disaster Management Book of Abstract. (1-year project completed in 2016).
10. Development of Crisis Communication Planning for Frances Baard District Municipality, South Africa. (I year project was completed in 2010).
11. 2018 – Exhibiting at the Disaster Management Institute Southern Africa (DMISA), held at Aha Kopanong Hotel and Conference Centre, Benoni, South Africa, 19-20 September 2018.
12. 2015 - Building Resilient Communities through Media and Communication Workshop: Held in Durban at Riverside Hotel, 2015.
13. 2014 - 1st Art on Disasters Exhibition: Held at the Disaster Management Institute of Southern Africa (DMISA) Conference, Durban 2014.

 Dr Kunguma`s research interests are multi-disciplinary within the Disaster Management field but her main areas of interest are as follows:

1. Risk/Crisis/Disaster Communication

2. Strategic Communication

3. Strategic Disaster Management

4. Disaster management legislation

5. Disaster Governance

 MODULES

1. Management of Media Relations and communication systems (DIMM 7910) - Presented in Masters of Disaster Management

2. Strategic Disaster Management (DIMS 5825) - Presented in Postgraduate Diploma in Disaster Management

3. Legal and Institutional Arrangements (DIML 5810) - Presented in Postgraduate Diploma in Disaster Management

She is also a moderator and examiner, she has done some moderation and examination work for the following institutions:

EXAMINATION

?PhD Thesis – University of Fort Hare, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities – Title: ‘Social Capital and Rural Development’ (2025)

Master’s dissertation – University of KwaZulu-Natal – Faculty of Law – Title: ‘State of Emergency and Disaster Management Act’ (2025)

Master`s dissertation - Central University of Technology, Faculty of Humanities – Title: ‘Public Relations and language’ (2025)

Master`s dissertations – University of the Free State – Centre for Environment

Master`s dissertations - North-West University, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences – Title: ‘Indigenous and Western Knowledge’ (2023)

Master`s dissertations - North-West University, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences – Title: ‘Disaster Risk Reduction Framework and Education Sector’ (2021)

MODERATION

Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, Department of Public Administration and Governance  - Module Strategic Disaster Management (SDT580S) (2022-2027) 

Dr Kunguma has been involved in several research projects and activities which involved connecting academic programme in disaster management with real-world projects enhancing her personal growth and that of her learners. Here is a list of some of the community service activities: 

1. Conduct a review of the disaster management institutional arrangements and coordination modalities for the Covid-19 response at national, provincial and local levels: March to December 2020 (level 5 to level 1) - 1 year project 2021

2. Development of a National Drought Plan (project leader for drought information management and communication system) -  2019 to 2021 

3. Development of training materials (playing cards) for The Sphere Project 2011. Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response -1-year project completed in 2017

4. Development of a Masters and PhD in Disaster Management  Book of Abstracts 2005-2015: ISBN 9780620665742 -1 year project completed in 2016

5. Development of a Crisis Communication Plan for Fraances Baard District Municipality, South Africa - I year project completed in 2009

6. 1st Art on Disaster art exhibition, Disaster Management Institute of Southern Africa Conference, held in Durban -16 – 18 September 2014