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Lakela Kaunda

Lakela Kaunda is Deputy Director-General responsible for corporate governance at the National School of Government. She has previously served as Chief Operations Officer (COO) in the Presidency as well as Head of the Private Office of the President and spokesperson to the Deputy President of South Africa. She is the former COO at the Ministry of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Executive Director of the Centre for Public Service Innovation and head of communication for the Department of Social Development. Prior to entering government, she worked as a journalist at the Natal Witness and Echo newspapers in Pietermaritzburg and as editor of the Evening Post in Port Elizabeth. She is also a former chairperson of the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef). She holds a master’s degree in South African politics and political economy from the University of Port Elizabeth.