Author

Haroon Bhorat

Director, Development Policy Research Unit, University of Cape Town

Haroon Bhorat is Professor of Economics at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. He is also the Director of the Development Policy Research Unit (DPRU). He has his PhD in Economics through Stellenbosch University in South Africa. His research interests cover the areas of labour economics, poverty and income distribution and is the current recipient of a highly prestigious national Research Chair under the theme of Economic Growth, Poverty and Inequality: Exploring the Interactions for South Africa. He has co-authored two books on labour market and poverty issues in South Africa, and has published widely in academic journals. He has undertaken extensive work for numerous South African government departments, most notably the South African Department of Labour, the Presidency and the National Treasury. He has served on a number of government research advisory panels and consults regularly with international organizations such as the ILO, World Bank and the UNDP. Haroon Bhorat is the Minister of Labour's appointee on the Employment Conditions Commission (ECC) – the country's minimum wage setting body. Professor Bhorat served as an economic advisor to Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe, formally serving on the Presidential Economic Advisory Panel. He is currently an economic advisor to the Minister of Economic Development.