MagidimishaChipungu breaks barriers in the built environment
Breaking barriers in any professional environment requires a lot of resilience and dedication, more especially for women who are game-changers in male-dominated professions.
Attesting to this, Professor Hope Magidimisha-Chipungu says at the onset of her career, she confronted significant resistance from her counterparts, but this motivated her to persist and strive to alter the status quo.
“Despite facing challenges related to age, gender and skin colour, I chose to remain steadfast in my aspirations. My educational and career journey has been a dynamic and transformative one, shaped by a series of challenges that ultimately propelled me forward,” she explained. Magidimisha-Chipungu is a professor and academic leader for town and regional planning and housing at the University of KwaZuluNatal (UKZN).
In 2023, she became the first black woman in South Africa to obtain a full professorship in the discipline of town and regional planning.
“I have mixed emotions regarding my recent promotion to the position of full professor. On one hand, I am filled with happiness and a sense of accomplishment, as I have finally reached the goal I have been working towards for a significant period of time,” she explained.
However, on the other hand, there is a realisation that there is a considerable amount of work lying ahead.
“It is disheartening to acknowledge that it has taken nearly 30 years postapartheid for South Africa to produce a black female South African-born professor in town and regional planning. This lack of diversity and representation within academic positions is a concern that must be addressed and corrected,” she said.
In her leadership role, she oversees a team of more than 12 staff members and nearly 500 students. She conducts lectures for honours and master’s students in town and regional planning. She supervises academic research for master’s and PhD students, as well as post-doctorate research fellows.
Her administrative and management responsibilities extend to university structures such as the Senate, the College Institutional and Staffing Forum, and other committees.
In 2015, she made history as the first black female South African to gradu
ate with a PhD in Town and Regional Planning at the UKZN.
Her academic foundation includes a Master’s in Town and Regional Planning and a Degree in Geography and Environment, both obtained from the UKZN. Additionally, she holds a Diploma in Project Management.
Award-winning
Throughout her career, Magidimisha-Chipungu has been recognised as an award-winning academic, being named among the 2018 Mail & Guardian Top 200 Young South Africans and receiving the Teaching Excellence in the College of Humanities award from the UKZN in the same year.
“I have also been awarded the Vice Chancellor Research Award and featured in the top 10 publishing researcher at the UKZN. My research and publication record is extensive, spanning the authoring and co-authoring of numerous book chapters and peer-reviewing of journal articles, demonstrating my commitment to academia,” she explained.
Magidimisha-Chipungu’s educational and career journey includes undertaking various roles in public institutions, including working as a researcher at the Human Sciences Research Council.
In 2020, a pivotal departure occurred in her career journey when she assumed the position of the South African Research Chairs Initiative Chairperson (SARChI) for Inclusive Cities at the UKZN.
“I was the youngest person to ever assume the chairship at the organisation. This is a significant role held within the framework of the UKZN, National Research Foundation and the South African Cities Network.
Inclusive urban development
“The foundation of this chairship is rooted in the recognition that traditional dimensions of the inclusive city often overlook vulnerable segments of society, such as women, children and the aging population, as well as minority clusters like the individuals living with disabilities and migrants,” she explained.
Moreover, it acknowledges the escalating spatial inequality driven by racial and class differences, contributing to increased community violence and protests.
As the SARChI Chair, her focus encompasses specific domains, including women and children, people living with disabilities, migrant, and the race and class domains.
“Through this role, I delve into these dimensions to foster a more comprehensive understanding of inclusivity and address challenges faced by these marginalised groups, contributing to the broader discourse on inclusive urban development,” she explained.
At the core of the SARChI chair project is the focus on climate change and natural disasters.
“I spent a great deal of time understanding and researching how cities are governed and run with keen interest on post-disaster [management]," she said.
Internationally, she contributes as a scientific committee member for the International Society of City and Regional Planning, co-directing workshops for
“It is disheartening to acknowledge that it has taken nearly 30 years postapartheid for South Africa to produce a black female professor in town and regional planning."
young professional planners in South Africa.
She is also one of the key advisors for the Housing Project in Malawi, with involvement in projects spanning Mozambique and Zambia.
Notably, she was part of the project on the 24-hour City funded by University of Politecnico di Milan, the Department of Architecture and Urban Studies in Florence, Italy, highlighting her global engagement in urban planning initiatives.
“Throughout my journey, the unwavering support of my husband and my resilience have been instrumental in overcoming challenges and achieving success,” she said.
Over and above her amazing work, Magidimisha-Chipungu is also a National Planning Commissioner in The Presidency.
She works together with other commissioners to provide strategic direction and guidance for the country's long-term planning and development.
“The South African National Planning Commission plays a crucial role as an advisory body to government, formulating and implementing long-term development plans, offering policy advice, monitoring progress, promoting collaboration, engaging the public and reporting to the President,” she explained. ❖