David Mmakola

Experience

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  Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)

  Feb 1995 - Oct 2000

  Policy Analyst

  This is how my career started in 1995. I was interviewed by the DBSA in 1994 while still doing an Honours degree at the University of Cape Town, through the Graduate Placement Programme. The DBSA was a multidisciplinary working environment, which greatly benefited me as a first-time entrant in the job market. The major focus was on loan financing for the construction of public facilities (roads, electrification, water and sanitation, telecommunications, tertiary education buildings and agricultural support). I was in the Centre for Policy and Information, reporting to a Divisional Manager. The practical skills developed were project management, research management and consulting skills. Show less

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  South African Human Rights Commission

  Nov 2000 - Feb 2002

  Deputy Research Director

  I joined the SAHRC as a Deputy Director, to monitor the way the state organs were implementing social and economic rights (such as rights to water, social security, food and healthcare) , as enshrined in the Bill of Rights in Chapter 2 of the South African Constitution. I had a team of 20 researchers that assisted me to design data collection tools and send them to national and provincial state departments that were responsible for policies formulated for the realization of the rights. I oversaw the preparation of the individual chapters, and the eventual putting together of the overall report that provided the overall national picture. I also oversaw awareness raising about these rights, mainly in the form of outreach projects, seminars, conferences, debates and dialogue on the rights. This work required me to interface with a diverse range of stakeholders: the media, non-governmental organizations, national and provincial leaders and civil servants, and private sector organizations. I also interfaced a lot with internal and national donors to raise research funds. Show less

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  The Presidency, Republic of South Africa

  Mar 2002 - Dec 2002

  Deputy Director: Social Cluster

  Policy adviceCluster coordinationMonitoring and evaluation/ performance managementResearch management

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  The National Treasury, Republic of South Africa

  Jan 2003 - Dec 2005

  Director: Central Government Administration

  Budget analysisExpenditure tracking

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  Small Enterprise Development Agency

  Jan 2006 - Dec 2008

  Senior Manager Operations

  Standard Operating ProceduresMonitoring and evaluationBusiness process mappingCapacity buildingClient records managementConsultancy records management

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  Department of Science and Technology

  Jan 2009 - now

  Chief Director

  Policy coordinationPlanningState entities oversightPerformance management