2024 Francis Wilson Memorial Lecture
On 16 April 2023, the University of Cape Town’s Interim Vice Chancellor, together with DataFirst and SALDRU, hosted the second annual Francis Wilson Memorial Lecture. Former finance minister Trevor Manuel's keynote address was titled “How to build – and break – a capable state: structural reform and institution building in the democratic era”. Mr Manuel began the lecture with a nod to the late Professor Wilson and the first living standards measurement study of South Africa that the World Bank had commissioned SALDRU to undertake. The study established a baseline of living conditions at the start of the country’s democratic era.
After the lecture, the Francis Wilson Memorial Prize for Data-Driven Research winners were announced by Emeritus Prof David Lam.
Tim Köhler (with co-authors Benjamin Stanwix, Robert Hill and Haroon Bhorat) were awarded the prize for the best article published in a peer-reviewed journal, for their article “Lockdown stringency and employment formality: evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa".
The student prize for best chapter from a master’s or doctoral dissertation was won by Dr Emma Whitelaw. Her chapter was titled “Studying to support? Exploring graduates’ responsibilities to remit”.
Read more about prize winners.
Read more about the event, and what Manuel discussed in his Keynote address.
View the 2023 lecture by Sir Angus Deaton.
