Ms. Zamageda Zungu | Management | Best Researcher Award

Ms. Zamageda Zungu | Management – Lecturer at University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

Ms. Zamageda Zungu is a dynamic academic and research leader in the field of construction management, known for her expertise in sustainable development, organizational resilience, and education reform in the built environment sector. She is currently a lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand and a member of the CIDB Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Construction Industry Growth. Ms. Zungu combines a passion for innovative research with a strong commitment to teaching excellence and student mentorship, making her a notable figure in academia and industry collaboration.

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Education:

Ms. Zungu holds an MSc in Building (Construction Project Management) and a BSc (Hons) in Quantity Surveying from the University of the Witwatersrand. Her postgraduate thesis focused on knowledge sharing practices among South African construction project managers. She also completed a BCom Law degree with a major in Business Management from the University of South Africa. These multidisciplinary academic qualifications have provided her with a balanced understanding of both the technical and legal dimensions of the construction industry.

Experience:

With over seven years in academia, Ms. Zungu has progressed from Associate Lecturer to full Lecturer, actively contributing to course development, supervision, and industry-aligned curriculum design. She leads both undergraduate and postgraduate modules and has been instrumental in modernizing program structures to align with university policies and reduce student completion times. She plays a pivotal role in committees related to academic governance and curriculum transformation, while also engaging with national and international bodies on sustainable construction initiatives.

Research Interests:

Ms. Zungu’s research interests focus on sustainability, construction project management, organizational resilience, equitable risk distribution, contractor development, and the alignment of construction education with industry needs. Her work often explores how construction firms and educational institutions can become more resilient, inclusive, and responsive to socio-economic and environmental changes. She has supervised and converted several undergraduate and postgraduate research projects into academic conference presentations, reflecting her skill in guiding impactful research.

Awards:

Ms. Zungu has earned several prestigious recognitions that demonstrate her excellence across research and teaching. These include the Best Paper Presentation Award at the EPPM 2023 Conference and Best Second Year Lecturer awards for two consecutive years (2023 and 2024). She has also successfully secured various research grants, including NRF Research Development, Carnegie Doctoral Grant, and internal university funding, which have supported her continued academic contributions and student mentorship.

Selected Publications:

“A critical literature review on organizational resilience: why current frameworks are insufficient for contracting firms in the construction industry” (2025), International Journal of Construction Management – [Cited by 6 articles]

“Client and Contractor Experiences in Framework Construction Agreements in South Africa” (2025), ICE Proceedings: Management, Procurement and Law – [Cited by 4 articles]

“Methods used by clients to determine contingency sums for construction projects in the Middle East” (2025), ICE Proceedings: Management, Procurement and Law – [Cited by 5 articles]

“Building Organizational Resilience Capacities and Capabilities in Construction Firms” (2024), Springer: Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering – [Cited by 7 articles]

“Detecting and preventing unbalanced bidding in South African public sector construction” (2024), WABER-SuDBE Conference Proceedings – [Cited by 3 articles]

“Equitable Risk Sharing in South African Construction Projects during Exceptional International Events” (2023), ASOCSA Conference Proceedings – [Cited by 4 articles]

“Factors Constraining Effective Knowledge Sharing among Construction Project Managers in South Africa” (2019), CIB World Building Congress – [Cited by 9 articles]

Conclusion:

Ms. Zamageda Zungu represents a powerful blend of research innovation, teaching excellence, and community impact. Her ability to translate academic work into industry-relevant solutions, secure competitive research funding, and mentor future construction professionals reflects her outstanding capability and commitment. With a proven record of research productivity, academic leadership, and national influence, she is a highly deserving nominee for the Best Researcher Award. Her evolving contributions will undoubtedly continue to enrich the field of construction management both within South Africa and internationally.