Jugal Mahabir is a Research Associate at PARI, working in the Local Government and Energy Transition programmes. He is currently a lecturer at the School of Economics at the University of Johannesburg. He has over 15 years of experience working with local government finances and public finance. Previously, Jugal worked at the National Treasury of South Africa and the Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC).

He has also consulted with several government departments and organisations in South Africa on various issues, including research on debt owed to municipalities (SALGA), the design of a freight transport demand model (South African National Department of Transport), exploration of new taxes for local government (South African Cities Network), the formulation of a framework and guidelines to guide municipalities to design indigent policies towards the implementation of the country’s free basic services policies (South African Department of Cooperative Governance), critically analysing the intergovernmental supervision framework of local government (FFC) and estimating the efficiency of water utilities in South Africa (WRC), amongst others.

Jugal holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) degree in Economics from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and a Master of Commerce in Economics from the University of Johannesburg.

Articles

Bannor, F., I.H. Magambo, J. Mahabir and J.L. Mubenga Tshitaka (2023) ‘Interdependency between Climate Change and Migration: Does Agriculture, Geography and Development Levels Matter in Sub-Saharan Africa?’  South African Journal of Economics. 91(2): 141–60.

Dikgang, J., Z. Ravat and J. Mahabir (2022) ‘Influence of Various Pricing Points: An Experimental Study of Plastic Bags in Johannesburg, South Africa’. Journal of Applied Economics. 25(1): 1200–18.

Nithammer, C.M., J. Mahabir and J. Dikgang (2022) ‘Efficiency of South African Water Utilities: A Double Bootstrap DEA Analysis’. Applied Economics. 54(26): 3055–73.

 

Working Papers

Murwirapachena, G., J. Mahabir, R. Mulwa and J. Dikgang (2019) ‘Efficiency in South African Water Utilities: A Comparison of Estimates from DEA, SFA and StoNED’. ERSA Working Paper 780.

Samkange, CM., J. Mahabir and J. Dikgang (2019) ‘Efficiency of South African Water Utilities: A Double Bootstrap DEA Analysis’. ERSA Working Paper 794.

Bidza, M., T. Greyling and J. Mahabir (2017) ‘Has South Africa’s Investment in Public Health Care Improved Health Outcomes?’ ERSA Working Paper 663.

 

Contribution to Books/Technical Papers

Nzo, T. and J. Mahabir (2023) ‘Inclusive and Decentralised Renewable Energy Development: Local Government and Community Inclusivity and Readiness for Green Hydrogen Development in Namakwa’. Public Affairs Research Institute: Johannesburg.

Muller, S. and J. Mahabir (2022) ‘Efficiency of Basic Education’. Chapter 9 in the Financial and Fiscal Commission’s Technical Report on the 2023/24 Division of Revenue Annual Submission. Financial and Fiscal Commission: Cape Town.

Dikgang, J., G. Murwirapachena, A. Mgwele, H. Menker Girma, B. Simo-Kengne, J. Mahabir, M. Maboshe, D. Gelo Kutela and S. Mukanjari (2019) ‘Insight into Setting Sustainable Water Tariffs in South Africa’. Water Research Commission Report 2356/1/19, Pretoria, South Africa.

Mahabir, J. (2018) ‘Localising Taxation’. Chapter 5 in the State of City Finances, South African Cities Network: Johannesburg, South Africa.

Dikgang, J., J. Mahabir and G. Murwirapachena (2017) ‘Resisting the Performance of Municipalities: New Data, New Insight and New Approaches‘. Water Research Commission Report 2359/1/17, Pretoria, South Africa.

Khumalo, B., G. Dawood and J. Mahabir (2016) ‘South Africa’s Intergovernmental Fiscal System’, in N. Steytler and Y. Pal Ghai (eds) Kenyan-South African Dialogue on Devolution, Ch.10.  Juta: Cape Town.