The University of Mpumalanga (UMP) is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Kedibone Phago as the Dean of the Faculty of Economics, Development and Business Sciences, effective 01 March 2026.
Professor Phago has extensive experience in public policy, local government, and governance models. Before joining UMP, he served as Professor and Director of the School of Government Studies at the North West University (NWU). He is currently an Adjunct Professor of Governance at the UNISA Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL). Previously, he served as Full Professor and Head of Department for the Postgraduate Programme of Master of Public Administration at the Faculty of Management and Law at the University of Limpopo (UL) and also was an Adjunct Professor at Uganda Technology and Management University (UTAMU).
Professor Phago has facilitated short learning courses for municipalities, provinces and national government departments, and collaborated with several departments of the South African Government, African Union Commission and BRICS, including serving as one of the experts for the Presidential Remuneration Review Committee in South Africa.
Currently, he serves as Africa Editor for the Journal of Local Economy and Associate Editor for the Journal of Public Affairs, which are both SCOPUS-indexed Journals. He is also the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Public Administration and has recently co-edited a book: Local Government Administration in Eastern and Southern Africa.
He is a member of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Curriculum and Quality Assurance (2025-2029) and a board member of the South African Association of Public Administration and Management (SAAPAM).Professor Phago has presented his research at national and international conferences. He has also supervised Master's and Doctoral candidates.
“We are pleased to welcome Prof Phago to UMP. He brings in a wealth of knowledge and experience, which will contribute to the growth and impact of our institution as we forge ahead to fulfil our 2030 institutional goals,” said UMP Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Thenjiwe Meyiwa.
The University of Mpumalanga welcomes Professor Phago.