Speakers
Keynote Speaker: Professor Hamilton Simelane
Professor Hamilton Sipho Simelane is a Full Professor of Economic History and Development Studies. He holds a PhD from the University of Toronto in Canada. He worked at the University of Swaziland (now University of Eswatini) for many years where he held several positions such as being Tutor of the Faculty of Humanities, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, and the first Swazi Director of the University of Swaziland Consultancy and Training Centre. He also acted as Pro-Vice chancellor of the University of Swaziland for a short period of time. He proceeded to work for the Institute of Democracy in Southern Africa (IDASA) as a Senior Political Analyst. After IDASA he took a position of Head of Department (Economic History and Development Studies) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College in Durban. He then took up the position of Head of Department by the University of Zululand. He later joined Igunundu Holdings in Durban where he took the position of Chief Operations Officer.
Professor Simelane has published over one hundred books, journal articles and research-based reports on different aspects of Swazi history. His main research interests revolve around issues pertaining to political economy dynamics. He has served as chairman of the African Working Group on Gender and Climate Change (AWGGCC) for about ten years.