This is a repository of work related to Siyaphambili themes and published by Siyaphambili team members.
Journal articles
Branson, N. & Whitelaw, E. (2025). Tracking Progress Towards Gender Equity in the South African Academic Economics Pipeline. South African Journal of Economics, 1–30.
Winfield, J. & Whitelaw, E. (2024). Blended, flipped and lit: Student perceptions and performance under blended learning with a flipped classroom and a lightboard. South African Journal of Higher Education, 38(6).
Branson, N., Hjellbrekke, J., Leibbrandt, M., Ranchhod, V., Savage, M. & Whitelaw, E. (2024). The socioeconomic dimensions of racial inequality in South Africa: A social space perspective. The British Journal of Sociology, 74(4): 613-635.
Branson, N. & Whitelaw, E. (2024). Consequences of secondary school closures for learning in South Africa: Evidence from university application and enrolment data. International Journal of Educational Development, 108: 103062.
Whitelaw, E. & Branson, N. (2024). What goes up must come down? The effect of ‘2020’ on university students' academic performance trajectories. South African Journal of Economics, 92(2): 135-160.
Branson, N. & Whitelaw, E. (2024). South African student retention during 2020: Evidence from system-wide higher education institutional data. South African Journal of Economics, 92(1): 9-30.
Whitelaw, E., Branson, N. & Leibbrandt, M. (2023). A dynamic perspective on profiling financial-aid eligibility: The case of South Africa. Journal of Social Policy.
Kerr, A., Piraino, P. & Ranchhod, V. (2017). Estimating the Size and Impact of Affirmative Action in Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Cape Town. South African Journal of Economics, 85: 515-532. doi:10.1111/saje.12174
Smith, L.C. & Ranchhod, V. (2012). Measuring the Impact of Educational Interventions on the Academic Performance of Academic Development Students in Second-Year Microeconomics, South African Journal of Economics, 80(3): 431-448.
Smith, L.C., Pym, J. & Ranchhod, V. (2012). What are the Variables That May Explain Commerce University Students’ First-Year Results?, South African Journal of Accounting Research, 26(1).
Andrews, R., DesJardins, S. & Ranchhod, V. (2010). The Effects of the Kalamazoo Promise on College Choice, Economics of Education Review, 29(5): 722-737.
Andrews, R., Ranchhod, V. & Sathy, V. (2010). Estimating the Responsiveness of College Applications to the Likelihood of Acceptance and Financial Assistance: Evidence from Texas, Economics of Education Review, 29(1): 104-115.
Book chapters
Branson, N. & Lam, D. (2021) ‘Chapter 33: The Economics of Education in South Africa’ In The Oxford Handbook of the South African Economy. (Eds Arkebe Oqubay, Fiona Tregenna, & Imraan Valodia).
Branson, N. & Kahn, A. (2019) ‘The post matriculation enrolment decision: Do public TVET colleges provide students with a viable alternative?’ In Post-School Education and the Labour Market in South Africa. (Ed. Rogan, M.). HSRC Press: Cape Town. Pages 37-60.
Branson, N. & Leibbrandt, M. (2019) ‘Assessing the usability of the Western Cape Graduate Destination Survey for the analysis of labour market outcomes’ In Post-School Education and the Labour Market in South Africa. (Ed. Rogan, M.). HSRC Press: Cape Town. Pages 137-164.
Branson, N., Hofmeyr, C., Papier J. & Needham S. (2015) ‘Post-school education: Broadening alternative pathways from school to work’ In De Lannoy A et al. (Eds) South African Child Gauge 2015. Cape Town: Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town.
Working papers
Branson, N. & Whitelaw, E. (2025) – Post-School Education and Training Policies – From 1994 to Now.
Branson, N., Ranchhod, V. & Whitelaw, E. (2023) – South African student retention during 2020: Evidence from system wide institutional data
Branson, N. & Whitelaw, E. (2023) – What can we understand about learning losses in 2020 from university application and enrolment data?
Whitelaw, E., Branson, N. & Leibbrandt, M. (2023) – Learning in lockdown: University students’ academic performance during COVID-19 closures
Branson, N., Hjellbrekke, J., Leibbrandt, M., Ranchhod, V., Savage, M. & Whitelaw, E. (2023) – The socio-economic dimensions of racial inequality in South Africa: A social space perspective
Whitelaw, E., Branson, N. & Leibbrandt, M. (2022) – Social stratification and post-school funding thresholds: A dynamic approach to profiling the missing middle
Branson, N., Hendry, J. & Ranchhod, V. (2020) – The effects of credit rationing on re-enrollment rates at a University in South Africa
Branson, N., Culligan, S., & Favish, J. (2020) – Information Flows in the South African Post-school Education and Training sector: a focus on university and government stakeholders
Mosomi, J., Thornton, A., & Branson, N. (2020) – Unpacking the potential implications of Covid-19 for gender inequality in the SA labour market
Whitelaw, E., & Branson, N. (2020) – Private transfers and graduate responsibilities: Evidence from the National Income Dynamics Study
Kahn, A., Branson, N., & Leibbrandt, M. (2019) – Returns to English skills in the South African labour market
Branson, N., De Lannoy, A. & Kahn, A. (2019) – Exploring the transitions and well-being of young people who leave school before completing secondary education in South Africa
Lam, D., Ardington, C., Branson, N., & Leibbrandt, M. (2013) – Credit constraints and the racial gap in post-secondary education in South Africa.
Reports
Branson, N. & Whitelaw, E. (2024) – Women in Economics in South Africa.
Branson, N., Culligan, S., & Ingle, K. (2020) – Developing Siyaphambili: A Stronger South African Nation Website. Moving towards a unified goal to combat inequality and unemployment.
Branson, N., De Lannoy, A., & Brynde, K. (2019) – Review of Youth Labour Market Research.
Branson, N., Culligan, S., & Tonini, S. (2019) – What & where you study matters in the labour market: Unpacking how employment and wages vary by qualification and institution type
Branson, N. (2018) – An analysis of out of school youth who have not completed matric: what can available data tell us?
Briefs and Other Writing
Whitelaw, E., & Branson, N. (2024) – Assessment matters: What can we understand about the National Senior Certificate results during COVID-19 from university entrance exams?
Whitelaw, E., & Branson, N. (2020) – Black tax – Do graduates face higher remittance responsibilities?
Whitelaw, E., Culligan, S. & Branson, N. (2020) – Student ability to learn at home: an introductory look at student access to remote learning resources
Branson, N., Culligan, S., & Ingle, K. (2020) – Post-school Education and Training in South Africa: Pathways, qualifications, and organisations making up the system.
Branson, N., Culligan, S., & Ingle, K. (2020) – The Siyaphambili Website: An interactive platform to track South Africa’s post-school qualification attainment.
School of Economics, University of Cape Town (2017). F(r)ee Higher Education: A School of Economics engagement.
Southern African Labour and Development Research Unit (2017) – Understanding the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.
Branson, N. & Leibbrandt, M. (2013) – Educational attainment and labour market outcomes in South Africa, 1994-2010. OECD Economics Department Working Papers 1022, OECD Publishing.
Branson, N. & Leibbrandt, M. (2013) – Education quality and labour market outcomes in South Africa. OECD Economics Department Working Papers 1021, OECD Publishing.
Hofmeyr, C., Branson, N., Leibbrandt, M., Ardington, C., & Lam, D. (2013) – The matric certificate is still valuable in the labour market. Econ3x3 Brief.
Newspaper articles
MacGinty, H. & Whitelaw, E. (2025) – Degrees of uncertainty: What is happening to graduate unemployment in South Africa? Econ3x3.
Whitelaw, E. & Branson, N. (2023) – Catalyse social mobility through the success of students. University World News.
Whitelaw, E., Branson, N. & Leibbrandt, M. (2022) – Social stratification and post-school funding thresholds: A dynamic approach to profiling the missing middle. Econ3x3.
Whitelaw, E., Culligan, S., & Branson, N. (2020) – Students will return on an unequal footing because of poor remote-learning access. Daily Maverick.
Branson, N. (2018) – Lots of young South Africans aren’t going to technical colleges. What can be done. The Conversation.
Lam, D., Ardington, C., Branson, N. & Leibbrandt, M. (2014) – More financial aid is not the best way to close the racial gap in tertiary education. Econ3x3.
In the news
Using Multiple Correspondence Analysis to uncover the structuring of social class and privilege
Assessing the state of post-school education in an unequal society
Siyaphambili research highlighted in the Department of Higher Education and Training’s Research Bulletin on Post- School Education and Training (pages 45-48).
Inequality in higher education mushroomed by COVID-19
Siyaphambili: A Stronger South African Nation Website
Lots of young South Africans aren’t going to technical colleges. What can be done
Tracking high-value credentials as a unifying Post-Secondary Education and Training goal
Measuring high value post-school credentials in South Africa
Other media
Leibbrandt, M., Branson, N. & Whitelaw, E. (2023) – Catalysing social mobility through student success. YouTube.
Siyaphambili October webinar series, 2020
Branson, N. (2020) – Structural inequalities in remote learning at TVET colleges and universities. POWER Talk.
Branson, N. (2018) – Trends in post-secondary education enrolment in South Africa. YouTube.