Phineas Riba is currently doing his Masters at the University of the Witwatersrand in Anthropology. He presented a paper based on a chapter from his dissertation at the Sex and Secrecy International Conference held at Wits in June 2003.

Phineas started his career as a researcher by doing freelance fieldwork for organisations such as the Tshwaranang,  Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, the HSRC and the Energy Development and Research Centre at UCT. During this time he:

• participated in a study on rape-attrition entitled ‘Tracking Justice: Rape Survivors in the Criminal Justice System’ and jointly undertaken by the Medical Research Council, Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre, and Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. (July 2006 to June 2007).

• worked as a research assistant in a study on sexual violence in prisons conducted by the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (November 2004 to January 2005).

• worked as a co-facilitator of focus-group interviews in Mpumalanga Province for HSRC’s survey: ‘South Africa’s first population-based HIV/AIDS Behavioural Risks, Sero-Status And Mass-Media Impact’ (January 2002)

• participated as a research assistant in a study on the “Intervention potential for low-smoke fuel in the coal-distribution chain” conducted by the Energy Development and Research Centre at  University of Cape Town (July to September 2001).

Phineas has also contributed to other interesting projects such as:

• research leading to the publication of a paper: “Viewing the ‘New’ South Africa: Representations of South Africa in Television commercials: An experiment in non-directive methods” co-written by Rehana Ebrahim-Vally [now with University of Pretoria] and Denis-Constant Martin [University of Paris]

• research leading to the publication of a paper: “Wishing us away: Challenges facing ex-combatants in the ‘New’ South Africa” written by Sasha Gear

• work resulting in the publication of a paper: ‘Doing time in a Gauteng Juvenile Correctional Centre for males’ written by Sasha Gear.

He acted as co-facilitator in the Women Health Project’s sexual rights workshop held in Kwa-Zulu Natal and Mpumalanga Province in September and November 2001, and was involved in the production of the internationally acclaimed 'Everything must come to light', a film documentary based on the lives of three female sangomas involved in same-sex relationships. 

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