As competence area manager of the CSIR’s hydraulic infrastructure engineering group, Hlabela leads research in two areas, namely coastal and port engineering, and water and wastewater infrastructure engineering. He obtained his PhD in chemical engineering from the North-West University in 2009. Hlabela started his career as a researcher focusing on acid mine drainage treatment technologies before moving to the government sector where he led research in the areas of water, energy and environmental security as well as the impact of climate change on water infrastructure. He has authored and co-authored a number of publications in the field of wastewater treatment process engineering, treatment process economics as well as the thermodynamics of the downstream processes.

Expertise: Water distribution networks; Drinking water purification processes, Domestic wastewater treatment processes; Acid mine drainage treatment processes; Industrial wastewater treatment processes.