Dr Funeka Yazini April, Coordinator, BRICS Research Centre, Human Science Research Council Dr April works at the Human Science Research Council as the Coordinator, BRICS Research Centre. She has extensive expertise on BRICS countries and industrialization in Africa. Dr April is a distinguished scholar with several publications which include the following edited books: FOCAC 2018: Agricultural Modernization and Industrialization, FOCAC 2015: A New Beginning of China-Africa Relations, Perspectives on South Africa-China Relations, and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation: The Politics of Human Resource Development. Dr April completed her PhD at the University of Limpopo. She studied for a Masters at the University of South Carolina, United States in International Studies. She also studied at John Marshall Law School in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr April also has also published over 40 book chapters, journal articles, and policy briefs such as Prospective Mining Industrialization Partnerships between South Africa and China. Understanding An Aspect of the Red Dragon's Governance and Economic Growth, and Assessing Local Governance between South Africa and China.
Dr April also conducted research on the Proposed Special Economic Zones: One Stop Shop for South Africa, A Consultative Document for the South African Department of Trade and Industry which was converted into a hand book manual for local government officials. Dr April has also undertaken research on China?s Opening Up and Reform: Lessons for South Africa, which included visits to Tianjin Technology and Economic Development Area: TEDA, China ? Lekki Free Trade Zone Headquarters, Beijing and the Guangzhou Development District in 2015.
The aforementioned research was sponsored by the Embassy of the People?s Republic of China in South Africa. In 2012, Dr April also did industrial fieldwork sponsored by the South African Department of Science and Technology through the Africa Institute of South Africa which was implemented at Zhejiang Province with a focus on Zhejiang Yiwu Industrial Park, China?s 10th SEZ. The name of this research project was titled: Assessing Strategies of Special Economic Zones in China to Assist Industrial Growth in South Africa. The findings were used as a comparative with the Limpopo Province in South Africa and are currently being applied there. Finally, Dr April has implemented various fieldwork studies on mining and industrialisation in South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo
