Prof David Mabunda
Prof David Mabunda is the Managing Director for Halls Properties in Mataffain, Nelspruit. Previously he was the Chief Executive Officer for South African National Parks, and former Director of the Kruger National Park. Prior to his joining SANParks he lectured at various colleges and universities locally and abroad.
He has published extensively in environmental education and educational psychology. In 2004 he joined the Department of Land Affairs as a Director and played a leading role in the land reform and restitution process in Mpumalanga. He is a global conservation management leader who successfully led the business transformation of the agency and increased its revenue from R 23m to R 1,3 billion over 10 years.
An active participation in global conservation agencies, he has served as Chair of the World Protected Areas Leadership Forum from 2001-2012. He has served on various Boards including Nedbank Green Trust, Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism, and the University of Pretoria Alumni. Prof Mabunda has experience in strategic planning, management and leadership with good understanding of Human Resources Capital Management. Prof Mabunda has recently been appointed as Chair of the Interim Council of the University of Mpumalanga and in 2017 Dr Mabunda received the title of Honorary Professor of the Academic Union at Oxford in the UK. David obtained a PhD in Tourism Management from the University of Pretoria.
David is married to Thandi. They have four children, the eldest being a son, followed by three daughters. When not working, David enjoys reading on a wide range of topics, listening to jazz and South African music and watching soccer. David believes a healthy body makes for a healthy mind, and despite his mind-bogglingly busy schedule he ensures he regularly makes time to work out in the gym.