Curriculum Vitae: Lerato Madiseng Shai

Curriculum Vitae

Lerato Madiseng Shai

Address

Phone: +27 21 671 1402 / PO Box 46830, Glosderry, Cape Town, 7702
Fax: +27 (0) 21671 1409 / South Africa
Cell: +27 (0)764293854 /

Personal

Date of birth: / 12 December1989
Languages: / English (Excellent), Sepedi (Excellent), Afrikaans (Good), German (Good), Zulu (Basic)
Years of experience: / 4
Countries worked in: / Germany, South Africa

Education

Master of Commerce (Applied Economics), University of Cape Town 2015
Bachelor of Business Science (Economics), University of Cape Town 2011

Professional membership

Economic Society of South Africa – membership number 698

Field of Specialisation

Lerato is an applied economist with an interest inapplying econometric and statistical methods and tools to address social problems. Her expertise also includes qualitative research methods, research design, data collection, analysis and reporting. She has applied her skills in a range of fields including public finance, implementation and impact evaluations, water services and environment research.

Work experience

Jan 2016 – present PDG, Cape Town

Consultant

2015 Economic Policy Research Institute,Cape Town

Research Fellow and Team Leader

2013 –2015 Maersk Group, Cape Town

Student assistant in Strategic Sourcing, Global Procurement Consulting

2012 – Daimler AG, Berlin, Germany

Intern in the Society and Technology Research Group

Key Projects

Public finance

2017/18 Implementation of Gauteng Tariff Model, Randwest City, Lesedi, Mogale City and Merafong municipalities

Co-managed the project implementation. Ran a base and scenario model in all four municipalities. Conducted eight training sessions (two in each municipality) to transfer skills to municipal officials. Compiled and presented results to the chief financial officers, budget and revenue teams; and infrastructure services.

2017/18 The Growing Funding Gap, chapter for South African Cities Network State of Cities Finances Report

Lead writer and researcher for the chapter. Presentation of chapter outline and draft content at writer’s workshops. Analysis of metropolitan municipalities budgets to support key arguments of the chapter.

2016 Implementation of Gauteng Tariff Model, Midvaal local municipality

Running the model for the municipality under various scenarios to test impact of tariffs on households. Engagement with and presentation of results to municipal officials.

2016 Implementation of Gauteng Tariff Model, Emfuleni local municipality

Running the model for the municipality under various scenarios to understand current tariff setting process. Conducted a training workshop on the model with municipal officials. Engagement and presentation of results to budget office and service department representatives.

2015/16 State of Cities Infrastructure Scoping Study, South African Cities Network

Review of local and international literature. Conducted qualitative interviews with key stakeholders in the cities infrastructure space. Analysis and reporting of findings.

2015/16 Metropolitan Municipalities Own Revenue Analysis, National Treasury and GIZ

Implementation of the Municipal Services Financial Model in all 8 metropolitan municipalities, conducting a financial capacity assessment for each municipality and descriptive data analysis of current income and expenditure per service.

Monitoring and Evaluation

2016/17 Implementation Evaluation of the National Youth Service Programme in Limpopo, Limpopo Office of the Premier

Conducted group interviews and focus group sessions with programme coordinators and former participants of the programme.

2016/17 Implementation Evaluation of the Foster Care Programme in Limpopo (Limpopo Office of the Premier)

Conducted group interviews and focus group sessions with programme coordinators and social workers responsible for foster care. Pooled regression and fixed effects econometric analysis on the National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS) to determine the effect of the foster care grant on education and health outcomes. Descriptive statistics including an analysis using NIDS to simulate poverty reducing effects of the foster care grant.

2015/2016 Implementation Evaluation of the Framework for Strategic and Annual Performance Plans, Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation

Compiled country case studies of the national planning frameworks in Uganda and Mexico to contribute towards a comparative analysis with South Africa. Conducted key informant interviews and focus groups with provincial departments in the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Western Cape. Analysis of results from web-based survey completed by officials in provincial departments.

2015/16Gauteng Diagnostic Ass Monitoring & Evaluation Systems, Gauteng Provincial Government

Conducted interviews with Heads of Department in Gauteng Province

2015/16 Western Cape Diagnostic of Ward Committees, Western Cape Department of Local Government

Conducted group interviews and focus group sessions with municipal officials and ward committee members in Mossel Bay, Overstrand and Langeberg municipalities. Analysis of findings from household survey to produce descriptive statistics of the community views on ward committees’ effectiveness and functionality.

Water services

2016/17 Affordability of water in South African municipalities, Water Research Commission

Co-managed project implementation. Managed work products from junior members in the team. Review of local and international literature on water affordability. Collect data, clean and analyse affordability based on the ratio approach and the residual income approach in four case study municipalities. Presentation of results at reference group meetings and at the 8th International Young Water Professionals conference held in December 2017.

Environment

2016/17Study on the opportunities to include Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Grants, SALGA

Systematic review of infrastructure grants to identify opportunities and constraints for the use of the existing municipal infrastructure grants to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy interventions. Developed a user-friendly guide for municipalities.

Publications

van Walbeek C. and Shai L. 2014. Are the tobacco industry’s claims about the size of the illicit cigarette market credible? The case of South Africa.Tobacco Control. Available at:

Conference papers

Shai L. 2017. The Effect of the Local Government Equitable Share on Own Revenue Generation in South African Municipalities. Paper presented to Economic Society of South Africa Biennial Conference, Grahamstown, 30 August to1 September 2017