Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698926705776.pdf (South Africa)
Covering Letter Dear Members of the Panel: The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services I am Siphelele Ngobese, an urbanist currently working as a senior researcher in the city/municipal planning, governance and development field.

This is an exciting space, full of complexity which provides a great springboard for agility, adaptation and innovation towards unlocking a host of human rights.
Given my experience within the SAHRC itself, an enriching experience that propelled my later career endeavours, I am confident of my ability to collaboratively guide the organization and advance its objectives.

My leadership in numerous national and global processes positions me to support the SAHRC in achieving its priorities on the Continental and global stages, as an A-accredited institution.
I have some exciting ideas already regarding the co-design and implementation of a programme of research and action fostering economic and social rights and advancing equality.

Within this frame it is my belief that urban municipalities, given their role as drivers of inclusive growth and sustainable development and centres where up to 70% of our population will live by 2050; are critical actors needing comprehensive support and engagement.
I see urban space or the built environment, particularly, as key sites of intervention to unlock economic and social justice.

In pursuit of this passion, I have and hope to continue influencing shifts in urban practice that drive inclusion of children, youth, women, LGBTQI, persons with disabilities and migrants.

These are the broad areas where my strategic, technical and research expertise lies.
Over and above the processes of the SAHRC I am well versed in using design thinking, facilitative, participatory, curative and cocreative approaches to illicit insights and engage relevant stakeholders, communities in particular.

I also have experience with quantitative methods.

Since 2014 I have led the development of crime and violence indicators for South African cities, with extensive contribution and influence in global indicator specification through UNHABITAT.
In the crime and violence prevention space I have learned that violence is one of the key barriers preventing a just, inclusive society (the right to the city).

I hope to contribute to the SAHRC in this sense, too.

There are a host of other qualities, skills, experience, and potential contributions I’d love the opportunity to discuss with your esteemed selves in more detail.

I do hope to hear from you at your convenience.


Yours sincerely, Siphelele Ngobese Curriculum Vitae of Siphelele Lisolam Melody Ngobese (Female) SA ID: Mob.

: | email: EDUCATION NAME, PLACE AND COUNTRY ATTENDED FROM/TO DEGREES and ACADEMIC DISTINCTIONS OBTAINED COURSE OF STUDY Mo./Year 02/2002 Mo./Year 11/2004 Bachelor of Arts University of the Witwatersrand.

Johannesburg - South Africa University of the Witwatersrand.

Johannesburg - South Africa University of the Witwatersrand.
Johannesburg - South Africa 02/2005 11/2005 Bachelor of Arts (Hons) 02/2006 Pending Master of Arts in International Relations University of the Witwatersrand.

Johannesburg - South Africa 02/2013 11/2015 M.Sc.
in Town & Regional Planning in the Field of Urban Studies Emeritus Institute of Management / MIT Executive Education / Columbia Business School 10/2021 08/2022 Postgraduate Diploma in Innovation and Design Thinking Sotheby’s Institute of Art 06/2023 In progress Curation Studies Majors English Literature | International Relations | Media Studies Minors History of Art | Drama & Film | Spanish Courses completed: Advanced IR Theory |Security Studies | Diplomacy and Negotiations Research Topic: The Prospects of Democracy in the Middle East (Coursework complete, research report pending) Courses completed: Regional Studies (Southeast Asia) |African Human Security | The Politics of Genocide | Multinational Institutions (The UN & EU) Courses Completed: Community Participation in Urban Governance | Understanding Cities of the South | Politics, Governance and the City | The Making of Urban South Africa | Democratic Theory Research Topic: Radical Agenda setting?
Exploring the Spatial, Economic and Livelihood Practices of Informal Traders in Yeoville as Suggestion and Contestation from Below, about African Cities Modules completed: Design Thinking Theory | Innovation of Products and Services: MIT's Approach to Design Thinking | Breakthrough Innovation Through Systematic Inventive Thinking | Strategy is Innovation: How the Leaders of Tomorrow Create the Future Concepts, evolution and practices of curation Professional experience (17 years total): 2016 – present: Senior Researcher: Inclusive Cities Programme (SA Cities Network) 2014 – 2015: 2013 – 2014: Coordinator: The Urban Safety Reference Group (SA Cities Network/GIZ) Research Associate to Dr Tomaz Salomao, SADC visiting fellow (Wits School of Governance) 2011 – 2013: Research Associate to the Chairperson (South African Human Rights Commission) 2007 – 2010: Assistant Language Teacher (Japan Teaching and Exchange Programme/JET) 2006: SAIIA-KAS Research Intern (South African Institute of International Affairs) RESEARCH AND PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT [strategic planning, creative development of complex projects, ASSOCIATED OUTPUTS/PUBLICATIONS1 in the capacity of lead and co-researcher, co-author, management of key stakeholder relationships] manager/coordinator for research, editing, design and print Research associate to the Chairperson of the SAHRC, responsible for research programme design and implementation in the areas of: - Housing/human settlements (progressive - - - - - realization) The rights of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers PEPUDA ACHPR mechanism development Strategic engagement & chairing of NANHRI Convening & coordination of Section 5 Committees in respect of the above thematic areas Research associate to the former Executive Secretary of SADC, Dr Tomaz Salomao, compiling their reflections on the state of implementation of the regional development objectives of the SADC.
A significant component of this work included lobbying for curriculum and academic programme development on this topic and fundraising to that end.

ESR/Section 184 (3) Report (SAHRC, 2012) Housing Options analysis (Fiscal and Finance Commission, 2011) Published in English & Portuguese under the title: Memoires on the SADC I Served: A Personal Account of Achievements and Challenges (WSG, 2019).

Swahili & French translations in development + supplementary edition focusing on the DRC.
1 See Annex 3 The SA Cities Urban Safety Reference Group / The Integrated Violence and Crime Prevention Reports 2021 | 2022 (upcoming) Programme manager responsible for fundraising resource mobilization, stakeholder management, convening and coordination of a community of with an extensive programme of research on safety; programme design and development Report (Quinquennial  knowledge application (city https://www.sacities.net/state-ofknowledge reports/ State of Urban Safety in South Africa (SACN, 2016 | 2017 | 2018/19 | 2020 | and https://www.sacities.net/urban-safety-reports/ Urban Safety Policy Briefs (Quarterly/Biannual practice products from 2016 – present) the topic of urban (research, data and indicators), The State of Cities best practice) and 2016 | 2021) dissemination through high level south-african-cities- platforms across government (National Treasury, SALGA, COGTA) and exchange with international networks including UN-HABITAT, Metropolis, among others.
Additional: research management, regular programme evaluation, liaising across categories of partners and time zones Mini How-to Guide for City Practitioners on Community Engagements for Community Safety (SACN, 2021) South African Cities and GBV Prevention: a series of visual tools supporting multistakeholder partnership on gender mainstreaming and GBV prevention at municipal level – focusing on the role and contribution of municipalities through their existing mandate (infrastructure, the built environment+ [short film, posters and policy briefs – upcoming, 2023] Urban Youth Strategies Project (Youth & City Space) Role: Project manager engaging national institutions (CoGTA/IUDF) and youth CSOs over 3 phases since 2017, on the role, contribution and capacity needs of youth to participate meaningfully and equitably in shaping the cities of the future.
The Spatial Determinants of Wellbeing Role: Project manager overseeing 2 phases of highly technical research establishing the link between space/urban environment and livelihood outcomens in South African cities (tracking the realization of equality).
#DIGITALDASH: Profiling top entries in the Young Planners & Designers Essay Competition (SACN, 2021) https://www.sacndd.co.za/ Toolkit on Youth Engagement for Government Practitioners (SACN, 2023 – upcoming) The Spatial Determinants of Wellbeing Paper Series (SACN, 2022) https://www.sacities.net/publication/spatialdeterminants- of-wellbeing-paper-series/ Sustainable Cities: Accessing Climate Finance Toolkit on Accessing Climate Finance for South African Cities (SACN 2023 – upcoming) Role: Co-researcher compiling a digital how-to guide for city climate change practitioners on accessing climate finance.
The tool pools available funds, sources and provides detailed information on application processes, project development and submission requirements.
Other skills/knowledge/competencies • Knowledge and understanding of key policy and legislative instruments relating to human rights in the South African and global contexts • Drafting member: The Johannesburg Declaration and Plan of Action on the • • • • • Prevention and Criminalization of Torture in Africa, 2012 Research and research management Research application, municipal capacity building, creative facilitation Superb written & oral communication on relevant topics in various languages Radio, print, television guest commentary/expert analysis + ability to communicate key messaging and organizational agendas Policy work: Integrated Urban Development Framework (IUDF), White Paper on Safety and Security, Inclusive Crime and Violence Prevention Strategy, District Development Model (DDM), National Strategic Plan on GBV and Femicide (NSP) • • • Global expert contributing to the development, drafting and ratification of the UN System-wide Guidelines on Safer Cities and Human Settlements (2019); Development of Global Urban Safety Indicators and Monitoring Tool (ongoing); Development of the UN-HABITAT Human Security Handbook + scoping of the application of a human security lens to South African urban planning Vast experience and knowledge of Multinational, Regional, National, & Municipal institutions and mechanisms e.g.
UNHRC, UNDP, SADC, ACHPR, NANHRI, MDGs, SDGs & New Urban Agenda localisation (HABITAT III) Extensive interaction with international development agencies for resource mobilization + bilateral programme development and implementation: GIZ, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD), German Development Bank (KFW), Japan Intl.
Cooperation Agency (JICA), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), World Bank, Cities Alliance, C-40, Bloomberg Philanthropy, Ford Foundation A recognized leader in the global community of municipal practice on issues of, inter alia, safer cities, public space, integrated transport and human settlements, smart cities and technology, child and woman inclusion • MS Suite, MAC OSX.
Basic Adobe Illustator/In-Design, ArcGIS, Zoom, Mural, • • MIRO, Mentimeter, Canva+ Languages: Fluent in Zulu, English | Intermediate spoken & written Xhosa, Japanese | Basic comprehension of Spanish, Tswana, Sotho • Presentations/facilitation/panels/moderation: NANHRI 2011 (Cape Town, Nairobi) | UNHRC 2012 (Geneva) | Metropolis 2018 (Gauteng)| Planning Africa 2018 (Cape Town) | Africities8 2018 (Marrakech) | UN-HABITAT Assembly 2019 (Nairobi) | African Forum for Urban Safety 2016 - 2019 (Durban) | UCLG World Cities Congress 2019 (Durban) | World Forum on Cities of Peace 2019 & 2020 (Mexico) | Uber Tech4Safety Summit 2020 (Johannesburg) | South Africa-EU Dialogue on Democracy in the Context of Culture 2022 (Ekurhuleni) | Smart City Expo World Congress 2022 & 2023 (Barcelona) REFEREES Dr Geci Karuri-Sebina Dr Tomaz Salomao Ms Ayanda Roji Research Fellow: Wits School of Governance Research Fellow: Wits School of Governance Head: Environmental Education and Research – Joburg City Parks Civic Tech Innovation Hub SADC Centre on African Public Space (CAPS) Annex 1 - Early Published Work Kajee, A.
& Ngobese, M., Another Talk Shop or Real Opportunity for Action, South Africa Foreign Policy Monitor, March/April 2006 http://saiia.org.za/images/upload/FPM_March_2006.pdf Ngobese, M., Growing Homegrown Terrorism in Europe, SA Foreign Policy Monitor, March/April 2007 www.saiia.org.za Besada H. and Ngobese, M., A Paradigm Shift Towards Human Security in Africa?
South African Yearbook of International Affairs, 2007 www.saiia.org.za UN-INSTRAW and SAIIA, Women’s Remittances and Development http://www.saiia.org.za/press-room/in- southernafrica-women-are-changing-the-face-of-migration.html Benit-Gbaffou et.al.

(Eds.)
Driving Change in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni: Community Activists Tell their Stories, Wits University (Wits CUBES, 2013) Annex 2 - Blogs, Op-eds & Expert Commentary https://www.sacities.net/blog-freedom-and-its-limits-amid-high-crime-and-violence-a-challenge-for-south- africancities/ https://www.news24.com/citypress/voices/the-future-belongs-to-our-youth-but-are-they-being-heard-20210630 https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/2021-08-19-siphele-ngobese-rebuilding-in-wake-of-violence-must- startwith-inclusive-cities/ https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/news/2019-09-15-saps-data-shows-police-resource- allocationdiscriminates-against-poor-black-communities/ https://www.news24.com/citypress/news/how-much-crime-is-in-your-city-20190413 United Cities & Local Governments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRKV_DMdRgM SABC News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0Uq2IPOShk SABC News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x83X6Ghwbk4 Newzroom Afrika: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpQca8Xw_tw&t=3s Newzroom Afrika: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IfpcTlfehk Annex 3 – Portfolio of R esearch O utputs