Justin Du Toit, B Hons Sociology (University of Stellenbosch)
Justin’s primary area of specialisation is sociology, with a special focus on theory and research. He obtained his undergraduate degree (Bachelor of Arts in Humanities) at the University of Stellenbosch in 2006. A year later he obtained his Honours degree in Sociology at the University of Stellenbosch. He recently graduated with a Masters degree in Sociology at the same institution.
Justin
brings a strong focus on quantitative research and statistical analysis
to Mthente and has recently been involved analysing data for numerous
projects, including:
- A review of the response of six SADC countries to the global economic crisis, involving an online survey with sector stakeholders in Mozambique, South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia, Zambia and Swaziland.
- A programme evaluation (with three quantitative surveys) for the International Academic Programmes Office at the University of Cape Town;
- An assessment of the state of BBBEE in the Western Cape for the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, involving a quantitative survey with businesses in the Western Cape.
- A national baseline survey on the topic of illegal electricity usage for Mthente’s client Yardstick, as part of Eskom’s Energy Loss Programme (ELP) Campaign.
Prior to joining Mthente, Justin held the position of junior lecturer
for the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology at the
University of Stellenbosch in 2009. The focus of the lectureship was
Crime, Deviance and Social Control, both theoretically and with
application to the South African context. From 2007 to 2008, Justin
worked as a research coordinator for the SADC Research Centre. In this
position he coordinated field teams, developed Gantt Charts, piloted
project tools, developed project tools, and managed the inflow of
questionnaires, client liaison, proposal and report writing. As
research coordinator, Justin coordinated a project for the Department
of Social Development (Western Cape Early Childhood Development Audit).
He also worked as freelance researcher for SADC Research Centre on the
project for the Development Bank of South Africa (Tramway Height
Socio-Economic Beneficiary Survey) in 2009.
In 2007, Justin worked as a research intern at a research company in
University Estate, Cape Town. He held this position whilst gaining
experience in the social and developmental research field. Whilst a
research intern he took part in the Evaluation of the South African
Child Gauge project for the Children’s Institute at the University of
Cape Town (UCT). His duties in this position included managing the
project logistics, uploading, transcribing and analysing interviews. He
also wrote certain sections of the final report, which was presented to
the Children’s Institute at UCT. In 2006 he held the position of scribe
for the Parliament for the Republic of South Africa. He was a scribe
for the Commission on Women & Health and the Commission on the Role
of African Women in NEPAD.
Justin’s Masters dissertation focused on the “Role of Memory In
Relation to Place: Case Studies of Five Families in Stellenbosch.” His
dissertation discusses why these five families have made land
claims to urban land in Stellenbosch, analysing it through sociological
theories. This is the first study on land claims for the area of urban
Stellenbosch. In his dissertation, he also probes the generational view
of the role of memory in relation to place.
