Prof Naude Malan

Associate Professor and Coordinator: Diploma Small Business Management
Name: Naude Malan
Location: ADD 315 Soweto Campus
Business Management Academic Staff  Staff Members

Contact Details:
Tel: 0115594790

Email: nmalan@uj.ac.za

About Prof Naude Malan

Naudé Malan is Associate Professor in Business Management at the University of
Johannesburg. He also served (to date, June 2023) on the Council of the Agricultural
Research Council of South Africa. He convenes the multi-stakeholder engagement project
iZindaba Zokudla that aims to create opportunities for urban agriculture in a sustainable food
system in Soweto. The project engages with and links urban farmers, entrepreneurs,
academics, civil servants and other stakeholders and aims at participatory technology and
enterprise development.
Naudé has published on the South African social welfare system, agriculture, design
methodology and human rights. He has developed social methodologies for agricultural
development, institutional innovation and technology for urban and small-farmers. Please
see the list of publications below.
Naudé was a Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for African Studies at Cambridge
University in 2003. He has taught in the Faculties of Humanities, Art, Design and
Architecture, Law and Engineering, and the College of Business and Economics at the
University of Johannesburg.
iZindaba Zokudla: Innovation in the Soweto Food System
iZindaba Zokudla (an isiZulu phrase for ‘Conversations about food’) is a research project that
draws on Multi-Stakeholder engagement and Action Research methods to create
opportunities for urban agriculture in a sustainable food system. It links the university,
researchers, students, communities, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders in the
development of service-learning and applied research projects and enterprises that can
contribute to a socially equitable, economically productive and ecologically sound food
system. In 2023 iZindaba Zokudla offers the course “Nxazonke” and further details are
available on www.izindabazokudla.com and https://www.facebook.com/IzindabaZokudla.
iZindaba Zokudla has pioneered innovative methods for urban agricultural development.
This has relevance for the development of new institutions for agricultural development, and
the development of technology, markets and distribution systems for urban agricultural
produce, amongst others, relevant to the development of emergent urban small- and other
farmers. iZindaba Zokudla has assisted a high number of emerging enterprises, has
developed appropriate technology relevant for emergent and small farmers and has
integrated farmers, stakeholders and others into social events that show the benefits of
systemic change to the food system. iZindaba Zokudla draws on the broad history of
participatory agricultural development, social innovation theory, systemic action research,
actor-network theory and methodologies for multi-stakeholder engagement to achieve its
aims.
This opportunity for multi-disciplinary research and knowledge and technology co-creation is
unprecedented. Since 2013 iZindaba Zokudla has mobilised more than 150 stakeholders to
each of its events, and has reached out to more than 1000 emergent farmers and food
processors to date.

Selected publications:
Published academic articles, papers, books and chapters:

with Juanita van der Walt, (2022) ‘The design of communities of practice for sustainability
and Entrepreneurship: Engaging with the digital in the food system’ Paper accepted for the
conference: Cooperatives and Solidarity Economy in South Africa. September 2022,
available:
https://www.myccse.com/_files/ugd/a0366e_5b5bb44a01ef4984b867c707ea83656a.pdf.
Accessed 2022 12 01

with Juanita van der Walt, Tamara Lulutho Sirenya, Sabelo Mike Mkhabela, JJ Du Toit,
Brandon Ian Robertson (2022) “Social media and urban agriculture: An emerging field of
study” Paper accepted for the 15 th International Business Conference, 25-28 September
2022.

with Juanita van der Walt, (2020), ‘Utilisation of the iZindaba Zokudla Farmers’ Lab
Facebook page as a Virtual Community of Practice engagement platform.’ International
Conference on the Social Sciences, Durban, October 2021.

Malan N (2021) ‘Steering the Nexus: iZindaba Zokudla and Governing for Sustainability’. In
Frontiers of Sustainable Food Systems. 5:705045. doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2021.705045

Malan, N. (2020). iZindaba Zokudla: A conversation about food systems change in South
Africa. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development. Advance online
publication. https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2020.101.016.

with Lenka Suchá, Martin Schlossarek, Lenka Dušková & Bořivoj Šarapatka, (2020), ‘Land
tenure security and its implications for investments to urban agriculture in Soweto, South
Africa’ Land Use Policy Volume 97, pp. 104739.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2020.104739

‘Service Learning and Stakeholder Action: Technology and Education for Urban Agriculture
in Johannesburg, South Africa’ in Urban Food Transitions in the Global North & South Alec
Thornton (ed.) International Political Economy Series (IPE) Palgrave (2020), pp. 177-192.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-17187-2_11

‘Emerging Enterprises and Sustainability in the Food System: Food Entrepreneurs in South
Africa’ in Urban Food Transitions in the Global North & South Alec Thornton (ed.)
International Political Economy Series (IPE) Palgrave (2020), pp. 193 – 212.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-17187-2_12

‘iZindaba Zokudla: A History’ (2019) available at
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329236911_iZindaba_Zokudla_A_history DOI:
10.13140/RG.2.2.13706.52165

‘An Introduction to Socio-Technical Systems’;
‘Appropriate Technology’ (With Nickey Janse van Rensburg & Hannelie Nel);
‘Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship’ (With Nickey Janse van Rensburg);
‘Engaged Learning’ (with René Benecke) in
Socio-Technical Systems: An Engineering Education Perspective (2019) Johan Meyer, Zach
Simpson & Suné von Solms (eds.), Abingdon: Taylor and Francis,
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781351052429/chapters/10.1201/9781351052429-4.

iZindaba Zokudla (Conversations About Food): Innovation in the Soweto Food System
(2019) Public Interest Design Education Guidebook: Curricula, Strategies, and SEED
Academic Case Studies edited by Lisa M. Abendroth and Bryan Bell, INFORMA UK.
(https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315627458).

Driving responsible research and innovation: Science, society and the UJ Energy Movement,
Naudé Malan, Nickey Janse van Rensburg & Zach Simpson (2017) in South African Journal
of Higher Education 31(5):154-171. (http://dx.doi.org/10.28535/31-5-1033; eISSN 1753-
5913.)

‘The change agent-programme/project beneficiary participation planning partnership’ with
Francois Theron, Stephen Wetmore & Naudé Malan (Chapter 2) in Theron, F. & Mchunu, N.
(Eds.). 2016. Development, Change and the Change Agent – Facilitation at grassroots (2nd
edition). Hatfield: Van Schaik Publishers (448 pages/June 2016, ISBN: 978 0 627 03403 0)
https://www.vanschaik.com/ebook/57ac972555cf3/

‘Exploring action research methodology – practical options for grassroots development
research’ with Francois Theron, Naudé Malan & Enaleen Draai (Chapter 12) in Theron, F. &
Mchunu, N. (Eds.). 2016. Development, Change and the Change Agent – Facilitation at
grassroots (2nd edition). Hatfield: Van Schaik Publishers (448 pages/June 2016, ISBN: 978
0 627 03403 0) https://www.vanschaik.com/ebook/57ac972555cf3/

Understanding the impact of engineering through appropriate technology development with
Nickey Janse van Rensburg & Zach Simpson. Paper read at the 16 th International
Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition IMECE 2016 11-17 November 2016,
Phoenix Arizona.

A systems design approach to appropriate, smart technology in a youth agriculture initiative
with Nickey Janse van Rensburg & Warren Hurter. Paper read at the 16 th International
Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition IMECE 2016 11-17 November 2016,
Phoenix Arizona.

‘Urban farmers and urban agriculture in Johannesburg: Responding to the Food Resilience
strategy’ in (2015) AGREKON 54(2):51-75 https://doi.org/10.1080/03031853.2015.1072997
(Peer reviewed article and accredited by the DHET)

‘Design and social innovation for systemic change: Creating social capital for a Farmers’
Market’ in Collina, L., Galluzzo, L. & A. Meroni (eds.) (2015) The Virtuous Circle: Design
Culture and Experimentation Milano: McGraw-Hill Education, Italy, pp. 965-978. (Peer
reviewed conference paper and accredited by the DHET)

‘Social Action in the South African Constitution’ (2014) Acta Academica 46(2): 83-106. (Peer
reviewed article and accredited by the DHET)

‘Design, Social Change and Development: A Social Methodology’ (with Angus Donald
Campbell) in Cumulus Johannesburg: Design with the other 90%: Changing the world by
design, September 2014, Johannesburg, available:
http://www.cumulusjohannesburg.co.za/files/9014/1810/9492/CumulusJoburgProceedings_S
ep14.pdf (Peer reviewed article and accredited by the DHET)

Civil Society and the Transformation of Social Security: The performance of the Right to
have access to social security in South Africa (2010) Saarbrucken: Lambert Academic
Publishers.

‘The performance of the right to have access to social security’ (2009) Law Democracy and
Development, 13(2): 71-95. (Journal accredited by the South African DHET)

‘The realisation of rights by non-state actors: Normative requirements and horizontal
institutions in South Africa’ (2008) in Olivier, MP & Kuhnle, S (eds.) Norms and Institutional
Design: Social Security in Norway and South Africa Stellenbosch: African Sun Media, pp.
145-164.

‘Rights, the public and the South African Constitution: Redefining the terms of public
engagement’ (2008) Anthropology Southern Africa 31(1&2):58-69. (Journal accredited by the
South African DHET)

‘Civil society and the right to have access to social security in South Africa’ (2005)
Development Southern Africa vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 551-569, London: Taylor & Francis &
Halfway House: Development Bank of Southern Africa. (Journal accredited by the South
African DHET)

(With Beverly L Peters) ‘Land Reform in Zimbabwe and South Africa’ (2000) in South African
Journal of International Affairs vol. 7(2). (Journal accredited by the South African DHET)

‘On the relationship between Participatory Research and Participatory Development’ (2000)
in Africanus The Journal of Development Administration Vol. 30(2).
‘Participation in Research and Development at the Tshikonelo agricultural project, Northern
Province’ (1999) in Development Southern Africa vol. 16(3). (Journal accredited by the
South African DHET)

Popular publications:

‘The future of urban agriculture in Johannesburg and the role of Bertrams Farm’ Daily
Maverick 05 June 2022 available: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-06-05-the-
future-of-urban-agriculture-in-johannesburg-and-the-role-of-bertrams-farm/

Editorials: “Nxazonke: A course in circular and Sustainable enterprise development”
available: https://www.izindabazokudla.com/blog.

‘Earth is crushed by the weight of humanity’ in Food for Mzansi 20 January 2021, available:
https://www.foodformzansi.co.za/earth-is-crushed-by-the-weight-of-humanity/

‘Re-discovering the food in the food waste’ in Food for Mzansi 15 December 2020, Available:
https://www.foodformzansi.co.za/re-discovering-the-food-in-the-food-waste/

‘Farming on Mars: where would we even start?’ in Food for Mzansi 17 November 2020,
Available: https://www.foodformzansi.co.za/farming-on-mars-where-would-we-even-start/

‘Can 4 th Industrial Revolution enable regenerative farming?’ in Food for Mzansi 27 October
2020, Available: https://www.foodformzansi.co.za/can-4th-industrial-revolution-enable-
regenerative-farming/

‘Township and Urban Farming’ in Business Day, 16 October 2020, World Food Day: How
Food Secure are we? Available: https://issuu.com/sundaytimesza/docs/world_food

‘Regenerative agriculture can herald a new dawn for Mzansi farmers’ in Food for Mzansi (15
August 2020) https://www.foodformzansi.co.za/regenerative-agriculture-can-herald-a-new-
dawn-for-mzansi-farmers/

with Noluthando Ngcakani, ‘Chefs with Compassion: Turning waste into wholesome meals:
Chefs have heeded the call and are using ‘end-of-life’ food to give back to destitute
communities’ in Food for Mzansi (10 June 2020) https://www.foodformzansi.co.za/chefs-
with-compassion-turning-waste-into-wholesome-meals/

‘Chefs with Compassion: Understanding civil society’s response to the Covid-crisis’ in
Farmers’ Inside Track: Food for Mzansi (03 June 2020)
https://farmersinsidetrack.co.za/2020/06/01/chefs-with-compassion-understanding-civil-
societys-response-to-the-covid-crisis/

‘The circular economy: How to future proof your food enterprise after Covid-19’ in Farmers’
Inside Track (21 April 2020) https://farmersinsidetrack.co.za/2020/04/21/%e2%80%afthe-
circular-economy-how-to-future-proof-your-food-enterprise-after-covid-19/

‘The people should take power as Eskom staggers on’ in Daily Maverick (13 April 2020)
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-04-13-the-people-should-take-power-as-
eskom-staggers-on/

‘Food gardens and small-scale farmers hold the key to food system transformation’ Daily
Maverick 17 July 2019, available: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2019-07-17-food-
gardens-and-small-scale-farmers-hold-key-to-food-system-transformation/

‘The new agriculture and developing emerging farmers: Harnessing the Fourth Industrial
Revolution’ Daily Maverick 9 December 2018, available:
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2018-12-09-the-new-agriculture-and-developing-
emerging-farmers-harnessing-the-fourth-industrial-revolution/

‘Investing in multi-stakeholder engagement for food system change: iZindaba Zokudla’ in
CSI: The Human Face of Business: A showcase of South African Corporate Social
Investment (2017) Lonehill: Creative Space Media & Tshikululu Social Investments, pp. 30-
31.

“Changing institutions for a changing economy: Structural change and the embeddedness of
the economy” (2004) in Professional Management Review May 2004.