Luvuyo Magalela

Currently serving as Executive Director of the South African Cultural Observatory (SACO), hosted by Nelson Mandela University, Unathi Lutshaba leads a dynamic team providing high-level statistical information, mapping studies, policy-relevant research, monitoring and evaluation, and impact assessment studies to the project funder, the National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC).

In her role, Unathi oversees a broad portfolio of research generated internally by SACO, by various consultants and through collaborations with SACO’s partner universities, the University of KwaZulu-Natal and Rhodes University.

She serves on the Board of IQOQO, a collaborative platform that connects and amplifies South Africa’s creative economy and sits on the Advisory Board of the HSE Global Cities Cultural Index, an initiative of the HSE University Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge (ISSEK) in Moscow, Russia.

Unathi is also a member of the Steering Committee for FuturesPast: Amplifying Memory with Immersive Technologies — a project operating in South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi. Funded by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and coordinated by the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), the initiative leverages immersive storytelling to enhance access to archival collections, nurture local creative ecosystems, and strengthen cross-border collaboration in the cultural and heritage sectors.

Unathi holds a BCom (Economics and Business Management) and a Master’s Degree in Development Studies from Nelson Mandela University, a Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Economic Analysis and Forecasting from the University of Johannesburg, and a Certificate in Corporate Governance: Practical Insights from the University of Cape Town.