Dr Siphamandla ZONDI is a professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations and Director of Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation at the University of Johannesburg. He is also the chairperson of the South African BRICS Think Tank. He is a returning Commissioner on the National Planning Commission of South Africa. Between 2000 and 2004, he worked as a researcher at the Africa Institute of South Africa. Between 2005 and 2016, he worked for the Institute for Global Dialogue at University of South Africa, which he also headed between 2010 and 2016.

He has taken consultancy in areas such as strategy and policy development, party political strategy, book writing, continental and regional integration, and international cooperation. He has published in areas related to decolonizing thought, politics, governance, and international relations. Zondi holds a Doctorate and Master's degrees from Cambridge University, UK and BA Hons and Higher Diploma in Education from the University of Durban-Westville.