Devi Pillay is a researcher based at the Governance & Integrity Anti-Corruption Evidence (GI-ACE) research programme in the UK, as well as a PARI research associate. She is an interdisciplinary social scientist and was previously a researcher in PARI’s State Reform programme and a researcher and analyst for the Zondo Commission. Her expertise is in the field of systemic corruption and state capture.

Devi holds an MA in History from the University of Witwatersrand, which she completed as a fellow in PARI’s postgraduate development programme. She previously graduated magna cum laude at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, where she studied anthropology, history, and politics.

Publications

Mail & Guardian, 6 February 2024, ‘State capture: Professional enablers can and must be held accountable for their role’ by Devi Pillay.

Daily Maverick, 1 May 2023, ‘The Police are not Only Failing to Keep Us Safe, They are Failing in Almost Every Aspect of Their Duty’ by Devi Pillay.

Daily Maverick, 25 July 2022, ‘Public Administration Reform is Critical After a Pliant Civil Service Greased the Wheels of State Capture’. Devi Pillay.

Daily Maverick, 29 August 2022, ‘Zondo’s Missed Opportunity on Role of Law Enforcement Agencies in State Capture’. Devi Pillay.

Pillay, D. (2022) ‘The Zondo Commission: A bite-sized summary’. A resource document. Johannesburg: Public Affairs Research Institute.

Pillay, D. (2019) ‘Politics, Professionalism and Performance Management: A History of Teacher Evaluation in South Africa’. MA Thesis, University of the Witwatersrand.