Welcome to SAMRC–UINVEN–MINTEK DHAIOH Unit
The SAMRC–UINVEN–MINTEK Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence for Occupational Health in the Mining Sector (DHAIOH Unit) is a flagship Extramural Research Unit and interdisciplinary collaboration dedicated to transforming worker health and safety in the mining industry through cutting-edge, data-driven innovation. Co-led by Professor Lindiwe Zungu (UNIVEN) and Dr James Aluha (Mintek), the Unit brings together expertise in public health, occupational health sciences, engineering, and data science to develop and deploy digital health technologies, artificial intelligence, and advanced surveillance systems.
Positioned at the intersection of digital innovation, health systems strengthening, and policy transformation, the Unit aims to enhance the prevention, early detection, and management of occupational diseases, while generating high-impact, policy-relevant evidence to inform industry practice and regulatory frameworks. Through strategic partnerships with academia, government, and industry, the DHAIOH Unit seeks to drive sustainable improvements in worker health and position South Africa as a global leader in digital occupational health innovation.
The Unit’s research agenda responds to the persistent burden of occupational morbidity and mortality in the mining sector by reimagining occupational health through integrated, technology-enabled solutions. Its work is anchored in five interconnected thematic areas:
- Digital Health for Proactive Occupational Risk Management
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Predictive Analytics
- Gender-Responsive Occupational Health Interventions
- Policy and Regulatory Innovation
- Capacity Building and Knowledge Translation
Unit Leadership Overview: DHAIOH Unit
The SAMRC–UNIVEN–MINTEK Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence for Occupational Health in Mining (DHAIOH Unit) is co-directed by two distinguished leaders whose combined expertise reflects the Unit’s interdisciplinary mandate—integrating public health leadership, policy influence, and scientific excellence with engineering innovation and advanced technological solutions. This co-directorship model underpins the Unit’s ability to deliver impactful, translational research that is both scientifically rigorous and industry-relevant.
Unit Leadership Overview: DHAIOH Unit
The SAMRC–UNIVEN–MINTEK Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence for Occupational Health in Mining (DHAIOH Unit) is co-directed by two distinguished leaders whose combined expertise reflects the Unit’s interdisciplinary mandate—integrating public health leadership, policy influence, and scientific excellence with engineering innovation and advanced technological solutions. This co-directorship model underpins the Unit’s ability to deliver impactful, translational research that is both scientifically rigorous and industry-relevant.
Joint Co-Directorship: Significance, Strength, and Uniqueness
The co-directorship of Professor Zungu and Dr Aluha represents a strategic and highly complementary partnership, positioning the DHAIOH Unit as a uniquely powerful platform at the interface of health science, engineering, and digital innovation.
This leadership model is distinguished by its ability to integrate:
- Policy-relevant public health research with advanced engineering and technological innovation
- Human-centred, gender-responsive approaches with AI-driven, data-intensive systems
- Academic excellence and research leadership with industry application and technology transfer
The robustness of this co-directorship lies in its capacity to:
- Drive transdisciplinary research addressing complex occupational health challenges
- Ensure end-to-end impact, from knowledge generation to policy influence and technology deployment
- Strengthen postgraduate training and human capital development through joint academic–industry mentorship
- Foster sustainable partnerships across academia, government, and the mining sector
Importantly, this partnership reflects the evolving demands of occupational health in mining—requiring solutions that are scientifically rigorous, technologically advanced, and socially responsive.
Positioning Statement
Together, the Co-Directors position the DHAIOH Unit as a flagship national research platform with global relevance, uniquely equipped to lead the transformation of occupational health in mining through digital health innovation, artificial intelligence, and policy-responsive research. Their combined leadership ensures the delivery of high-impact, scalable, and future-oriented solutions that advance worker health, safety, and wellbeing.
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.
