The NALSU Team

The Neil Aggett Labour Studies Unit (NALSU) is a hub of labour studies at Rhodes University. Although the unit is formally located in the Department of Sociology and Industrial Sociology, it's members come from the following two academic departments: Sociology & Industrial Sociology and Economics and Economic History. 

The NALSU team has built a diverse body of labour studies research in partnership with national and international networks of researchers, an Eastern Cape Worker Education Project, and a large and active inter-departmental labour studies seminar series. Members of the team actively teach at undergraduate and postgraduate level at Rhodes University, linking postgraduate students to its research, worker education and seminar programmes. NALSU also has a number of affiliates, who are less actively engaged in its work. Affiliates include people who work with NALSU on a project basis, as well as postdoctoral fellows, visiting scholars and students who have received funding support from NALSU.

NALSU Members

• Dr Laura Alfers (NALSU; Director of Social Protection Programme, WIEGO; Department of Sociology & Industrial Sociology, Rhodes University)
• Mr David Fryer (Department of Economics & Economic History, Rhodes University)
• Mr Russell Grinker (NALSU; formerly of Eastern Cape Socio-Economic Consultative Council, ECSECC; Department of Sociology & Industrial Sociology, Rhodes University)
• Prof Gilton Klerck (Head of Department of Sociology & Industrial Sociology, Rhodes University)
• Ms Siviwe Mhlana (NALSU; Southern Centre for Inequality Studies (SCIS; SOAS, University of London)
• Dr Lali Naidoo (NALSU; Director: East Cape Agricultural Research Project, ECARP)
• Mr Kanyiso Ntikinca (Department of Sociology & Industrial Sociology, Rhodes University)
• Prof Michael Rogan (Department of Economics & Economic History, Rhodes University)
• Prof Lucien van der Walt (NALSU Director; Department of Sociology & Industrial Sociology, Rhodes University)
• Mr Valance Wessels (NALSU Project Administrator)

NALSU Affiliates 

• Dr Reesha Kara (Institute of Social and Economic Research, ISER, Rhodes University)
• Mr Warren McGregor (Programme Coordinator: Global Labour University, GLU, at the University of the Witwatersrand)
• Prof Jen Snowball (Head of Department of Economics & Economic History, Rhodes University)
• Professor Nicole Ulrich (History Department, University of Fort Hare)
• Ms Mattie Webb (Incoming Postdoctoral Associate at Yale University's Jackson School of Global Affairs and International Security Studies, ISS)

In Memorium:

• Mr Ayanda Kota (founding chairperson: the Unemployed Peoples' Movement, UPM, Makana)

We grieve the passing of NALSU Associate Mr Ayanda Kota, who departed this world on the morning of Thursday 22 February, 2024. Ayanda will be remembered as a voice of conscience, a servant-leader in many movements, and a stalwart of the battles of the working-class and poor, best known for his work in the Unemployed Peoples Movement (UPM). NALSU is honoured to have worked with him, including in many workers and popular education projects, and he was pursuing his Masters degree with us at the time of his death.

The full NALSU tribute may be read here. A copy of his funeral programme, where NALSU's director, Professor Lucien van der Walt, was among the invited speakers, is archived here. An article by Ayanda on "Organising to Secure Municipal Service Delivery," based on a presentation at our 2019 Vuyisile Mini Workers School, can be read here.

Go well, travel safely, Ayanda. The world is poorer with your passing. 

Postgraduate supervision

NALSU academics support and supervise postgraduate students in the area of labour studies, broadly defined. Please visit the pages of members and affiliates (linked above) for more information.

Last Modified: Mon, 11 Mar 2024 13:32:22 SAST