Unit Leadership Overview: DHAIOH Unit
Prof Lindiwe Zungu (Unit Director)
Director of OHS in mIning Research Institute/UNIVEN
Professor Lindiwe Zungu is the Director of the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Mining Research Institute at the University of Venda (UNIVEN) and a multiple award-winning scholar recognised for her pioneering and high-impact occupational health research within the South African Mining Industry (SAMI). She holds a PhD in Occupational Health (2003) from the University of Zululand and an advanced certificate in Global Clinical Scholars Research Training (GCSRT) from Harvard Medical School (2018).
With more than two decades of distinguished experience in occupational health, public health, and mining research, Professor Zungu has successfully led numerous large-scale research initiatives funded by the Mine Health and Safety Council (MHSC), contributing significantly to the advancement of national occupational health policy, evidence-based interventions, and regulatory Codes of Practice in the mining sector. Her research expertise spans occupational diseases, women’s health in mining, psychosocial and mental health risks, biological hazards, health systems strengthening, and innovative digital approaches to worker health and safety.
Professor Zungu is widely recognised for her commitment to research excellence, transformation, and human capital development. She has supervised and mentored over 45 postgraduate students and emerging researchers, making a substantial contribution to the development of occupational health research capacity in South Africa and across the African continent.
Her exceptional scholarly and leadership contributions have earned her several prestigious national awards, including the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Career Development Award, the Department of Science and Technology Distinguished Woman Scientist Award, the TW Kambule Award, and the SAMRC Merit Award for Research Capacity Development and Transformation (2024).
Importantly, Professor Zungu serves as the Director of the SAMRC funded Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence for Occupational Health (DHAIOH) Extramural Unit, a flagship research initiative established to advance cutting-edge, data-driven, and technology-enabled occupational health solutions for the mining sector. Under her leadership, the DHAIOH Unit is positioned to strengthen interdisciplinary research, digital innovation, policy translation, and strategic partnerships aimed at transforming occupational health systems and contributing to the mining industry’s zero-harm vision. Her leadership brings together internationally recognised research excellence, strategic institutional engagement, and a strong commitment to innovation, capacity development, and societal impact.
Dr James Aluha (SAMRC DHAIOH Unit Co-Director)
Chief Research Scientist | Mintek
Dr James Aluha is a Chief Research Scientist at Mintek with expertise in chemical engineering, materials science, and mining innovation. He holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from l’Université de Sherbrooke (Canada) and advanced degrees from the University of the Witwatersrand. With over 15 years of experience, his work focuses on nanotechnology, sensor development, and AI-enabled systems for occupational health and safety in mining.
He leads the development of real-time monitoring and predictive risk detection technologies, addressing critical challenges such as hazardous exposures and environmental safety. His work bridges research and application, supporting industry innovation and technology transfer. Dr Aluha contributes strong engineering and innovation leadership to the DHAIOH Unit, ensuring solutions are practical, scalable, and responsive to real-world mining environments.
Unit Directors’ Quote
“Being awarded the DHAIOH Extramural Unit by the SAMRC marks a transformative milestone in reimagining occupational health in the mining sector through the strategic integration of digital innovation and artificial intelligence. Our vision is to shift decisively from reactive, compliance-driven models towards predictive, data-driven systems that enable early detection, proactive prevention, and more effective, responsive management of occupational health risks. Through the DHAIOH Unit, we are committed to generating high-impact, policy-relevant evidence that strengthens health systems, informs regulatory transformation, and advances gender-responsive, worker-centred interventions. Importantly, this SAMRC Extramural Unit positions South Africa at the forefront of global leadership in digital health innovation for occupational health, while delivering tangible improvements in the health, safety, wellbeing, and dignity of mine workers.”
