Cape Town: Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has announced that the inaugural meeting of the non-statutory advisory panel to his office will be held in the first week of July 2025. The panel, focusing on Public Asset Management and Infrastructure Development, is part of the Minister’s commitment to leveraging expertise from both public and private sectors to assist in reforming the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure.
According to South African Government News Agency, the initiative aims to transform South Africa into a construction hub and ensure that public assets are utilized for the public good. The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure stated that the panel members, who serve voluntarily, were appointed through a public nomination process, which saw hundreds of applications and an extensive shortlisting procedure.
The advisory panel, known as the Public Asset Management and Infrastructure Development Advisory Panel, consists of notable members including Monica Khumalo, Johann Kotz©, Dorset Lebogang Musi, Estienne de Klerk, Nathisha Singh, and Michael W. Clampett, among others. These members bring a diverse range of expertise from various sectors, including engineering, agriculture, property management, and water and sanitation.
The department emphasized the importance of this panel in the current economic climate, highlighting its role in driving growth, job creation, and ensuring the effective use of public assets. The upcoming meeting of the panel is seen as a significant step towards reforming the department to better fulfill its mandate and benefit all South Africans.
Minister Macpherson expressed confidence in the advisory panel’s ability to contribute to building a more efficient and professional department. He extended his congratulations to the appointed members and looks forward to collaborating with them in efforts to improve the lives of South Africans across the country.