Lakela Kaunda (1983) appointed as COO in the Presidency

 

The Presidency has pleasure to announce the appointment of Ms Lakela Kaunda as Chief Operations Officer, (COO), with effect from 1 November 2014.

Ms Kaunda has served as the Deputy Director-General and Head of the Private Office of the President of the Republic since 2009. She is a seasoned executive with more than 20 years’ experience in government and the media.

She has worked as a journalist, government communicator, political manager and political strategist.

Ms Kaunda holds a Masters degree (MPhil) in South African Politics and Political Economy from the University of Port Elizabeth, a BA Honours in Politics from Unisa, a Bachelor of Journalism and Media Studies from Rhodes University and a Post-Graduate Diploma in World Politics, London School of Economics and Political Science.

She has previously served as spokesperson of the Deputy President of the Republic  head of communications and later special advisor on communications to the Minister of Social Development, as director of communications for the Department of Communications and as public relations officer to the MEC for Economic Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal. She has worked for the African National Congress as manager in the Office of the President.

Her media career has included serving as editor of the Evening Post in Port Elizabeth and as assistant editor, deputy news editor and political reporter the Natal Witness  and Echo newspapers in Pietermaritzburg.  Ms Kaunda is also a former chairperson of the South African National Editors Forum (SANEF).

Ms  Kaunda is also a non-executive director on the Board of Rand Water.