Themba Dlamini holds a Masters degree in Geography from the University of KwaZulu
Natal; his thesis title is “A Comparative Assessment of social, economic and
environmental sustainability of savanna woodlands and forests of Botswana, Zimbabwe
and South Africa and implications for alternative practices and policies”. He is in the
process of pursuing his PHD, focusing on the success and failures of environmental management approaches in
South Africa. His main research interests are on the sustainable utilization of savanna woodlands and forests,
particularly in communal lands. (Medicinal plants, herbs, woody and bark harvesting). He previously worked
for the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, where his main focus was on the community forestry
development, participatory forests management, and forestry enterprise development. He was appointed a
national coordinator of the participatory forests management approach in South Africa, to monitor the impact
that the established committees have in the sustainable management of the state forests. In 1998 he was
appointed a researcher at the University of Durban Westville and was more involved with the monitoring and
evaluation of land reform in KwaZulu Natal and Eastern Cape Provinces. Of such importance was his
participation with the European Union, INCO funded the project which aimed at assessing the sustainability of
various savanna land use practices and policies promoting the sustainable utilization of savannas in
Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Out of the research mentioned above, he has managed
the following publications:
• Watson, H.K. and Dlamini, T.B., (2003): Sustainable Utilization of Savanna Products in Botswana,
South African Geographical Journals 85 (1): 3‐10.
• Watson, H.K., and Dlamini, T.B, 2000: Savanna Products in Zimbabwe ‐Sustainability of Practices and
Policies, University of Durban Westville SASN Report to European Union, INCO Project IC18‐CT980277
• Watson, H.K., and Dlamini, T.B., 1999: Savanna products in Botswana‐sustainability of Practices and
Policies, University Of Durban Westville SASN Report to European Union, INCO Project IC18‐CT980277
Currently, he is a research project manager in the Department of Social Development focusing on population,
environment and development nexus.