Sibusiso Sandile Mthembu is a PhD candidate in Economics at the University of Zululand. He holds a Master of Commerce in Economics and a BCom Honours degree in Economics, awarded Cum Laude. His research interests include monetary economics, financial stability, climate finance, development economics, and economic policy analysis. Sibusiso has experience in academic research, econometric modelling, teaching support, and policy-oriented analysis. He has presented research at national and international conferences and is passionate about using economic research to contribute to evidence-based policymaking and sustainable development in South Africa.