The North‑West University (NWU) Policy Lab is an initiative of the Faculty of Humanities, with support thehe Presidency of the Republic of South Africa. It works closely with other Faculties in the university, and promotes multi-disciplinary research and development solutions seeking. It strengthens policy design, implementation, and learning through evidence, innovation, co‑creation, and experimentation. The Lab is hosted by NWU (owner and custodian), while The Presidency acts as a strategic champion for adoption and implementation. The Lab convenes researchers, practitioners, communities, and social partners to co‑create real solutions—providing safe spaces for ideation, experimentation, piloting, and iterative learning.
Mission
Improve policy‑making and implementation in South Africa through design thinking, systems thinking, innovation, evidence‑driven approaches, and ubuntu‑centred principles.
Values
• Evidence & Learning: Rigorous, transparent, iterative
• Ubuntu: People‑centred, inclusive, context‑sensitive
• Co‑Creation: Shared ownership with diverse stakeholders
• Integrity & Accountability: Implementation compacts and feedback loops
• Innovation: Design thinking, systems thinking, strategic foresight, safe prototyping
WHO WE WORK WITH
The Presidency –champion and strategic support; Policy and planning practitioners across three spheres; Social partners; Development partners and donors; Research institutions (Global South cooperation bias).
HOW WE WORK
Co‑creation & dialogue; Design & systems thinking; Strategic foresight; Safe experimentation; Implementation compacts; Troubleshooting & rapid support. Priority areas: water/basic services; local government capability; education & skills; health & social services; economic development & employment.
Meet the Team
Costa Hofisi
Project Leader
Costa Hofisi is a public policy specialist and governance practitioner with extensive experience supporting organisations to strengthen decision‑making, accountability, and service‑delivery systems. His work spans policy design, applied research, programme evaluation, and institutional capability enhancement across government and civil‑society sectors. Costa is particularly committed to advancing evidence‑informed policymaking and nurturing collaborative spaces where practitioners, researchers, and communities co‑create solutions. He has worked on complex public‑sector reform initiatives, providing strategic advisory support and leading multidisciplinary teams in the development of innovative approaches to policy implementation. With a strong appreciation for context and people‑centred design, Costa contributes to the Lab’s mission by ensuring rigorous analysis, adaptive learning, and integrity in the pursuit of impactful public‑sector outcomes.
Bongani Matomela
Advisor
Bongani President Matomela is a governance and policy‑implementation specialist with deep experience in strengthening state capability and supporting multi‑stakeholder reform processes. As the Governance Programme Manager at the NWU Policy Lab, he oversees the coordination of policy dialogues, pilot projects, and implementation partnerships across government and civil‑society actors. Bongani’s expertise spans public‑sector governance, systems improvement, policy analysis, and delivery troubleshooting. With a strong grounding in stakeholder management and adaptive implementation, he is committed to bridging the gap between policy design and practice. He is particularly passionate about embedding accountability, evidence, and ubuntu‑centred approaches into public‑sector work. Bongani brings a strategic, structured, and people‑focused perspective that advances the Lab’s mission of strengthening South Africa’s developmental state.