Ms. Vhonani Petla is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation. She holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies (specializing in Africa and the Caribbean), earned through a joint program between the University of Johannesburg and the University of the West Indies. She is currently a researcher at the National Movement of Rural Women. She has extensive experience in both academia and the NGO sector, with particular expertise in digital policy, social media, sustainable development, and contemporary South African politics. She has authored numerous journal articles, book chapters, op-eds, and, most recently, a policy brief.