Dr Kagiso “TK” Pooe is a senior lecturer focusing on five specialist Public Policy themes.

Firstly, Local Economic Development which focuses on initiatives, policies, and strategies implemented within a specific municipal region in order enhance and advance economic development. Secondly, Law and Development a field that examines the intersection of legal systems, institutions, and socio-economic development.

Thirdly, Futures Planning and Thinking, which focuses on crafting policy decisions that attempt to ascertain what future public policy and institutional ideas can be used to address given and yet to be defined problems. Fourthly, Failure Analysis which investigates why policies don’t achieve their intended goals or produce unexpected negative outcomes. Fifthly, National Interest study which examines and tries to understand the fundamental goals and objectives of the State in various foreign related policy aims and objectives.

Over the last ten years he has lectured and consulted for various institutions like the North-West University’s Government Studies in the Vaal campus, the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Howard College), Gordon Institute of Business Science (University of Pretoria) and the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute. Before joining academia on a fulltime basis, he worked as a Public Policy research consultant at the Gauteng Provincial Legislature and researcher for Integrated Development Planning Unit at the Sedibeng District Municipality.

Outside his professional life he is former National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences Fellow, a 2019 Managing Global Governance Fellow of the Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik and has served as a Board Member at St. Luke’s Anglican Church in his hometown of Evaton (Vaal). He is a South African and Smooth Jazz, old school RnB enthusiast and is an aspirant squash player.

Journal Articles: Selected

1. Kagiso Pooe and Wandile Ngcaweni. 2022. When Theory and Policy Miss Transformational Opportunity: South Africa's Untapped Informal Sector Potential for Addressing Youth Unemployment: https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.10520/ejc-jpad_v57_n3_a2
2. TK Pooe and David Mohale. 2022. Developmental State ambition of South Africa. https://repository.uneca.org/bitstream/handle/10855/47616/b12001107.pdf?sequence=4&isAllowed=y
3. Pooe, T. 2019. Law and Economic Development in South Africa: An Assessment through the General Theory of Law and Development: https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/ldr-2018-0062/html?lang=en#Harvard
4. Kagiso Pooe. 2019. Professionalising local economic development through using scenario-based planning to re-build led units and work standards: https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.10520/EJC-1bcaaace13
5. TK Pooe. 2018. Has it Reinvented Iron Law? South Africa’s Social Industrialisation, not Iron Industrialisation: https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/ldr-2018-0027/html?lang=en
6. TK Pooe. 2017. Developmental State No Birth Right: South Africa’s Post-1994 Economic Development Story: https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/ldr-2017-0018/html?lang=en
7. TK. Pooe. 2017. U.S. Policy towards Africa under Trump: https://americanaffairsjournal.org/2017/10/u-s-policy-towards-africa-trump/

Book Chapters: Selected

1. TK. Pooe. 2022. An institutional and public policy response to illicit financial flows in the mining industry of southern Africa: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003197232-11/institutional-public-policy-response-illicit-financial-flows-mining-industry-southern-africa-pooe
2. TK Pooe and Sysman Motloung. 2021. The media and policymaking in Africa: A comparative study of economic development policies in South Africa and Nigeria: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/oa-edit/10.4324/9781003143840-20/media-policymaking-africa-tk-pooe-sysman-motloung
3. TK. Pooe. 2019. South Africa’s policy vision for black businesses- the role of entrepreneurship in development: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780429292149-10/south-africa-policy-vision-black-businesses-role-entrepreneurship-development-pooe

Virtual and Media Thoughts: Selected

1. TK Pooe. 2023. Call for Kenyan style coalition, All-Star cabinet before 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHdPcy01NLk
2. TK Pooe. 2023. The Plot to Save South Africa: Justice Malala: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIGhneWE7ts
3. TK Pooe. 2023. The Opportunities of Fragmented Politics: Ralph Mathekga: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lDCNt3E1eo&t=15s
4. TK Pooe. 2023. Taking Local Government Seriously: Thina Nzo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y_K9Uwg0pM
5. TK Pooe. 2023. Beyond the Constitution with Bronwyn Williams: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXQtCxQX-ng&t=1s
6. TK Pooe. 2023. Commissions of inquiry: hybrid hollowing out of State governance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd9zXccSFAA