Pretoria: President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Dipak Patel, a Senior Advisor at the Presidential Climate Commission, as the Deputy Chairperson of the Commission. Patel's new tenure is set to begin this year and will extend until 2030.
According to South African Government News Agency, Patel previously served as the Senior Advisor for Climate Finance and Innovation at the commission. His appointment as Deputy Chairperson aims to strengthen the commission's efforts in climate finance, investment mobilisation, and advancing South Africa's Just Energy Transition objective.
Patel is recognized as a professional with expertise in production management, process engineering, climate finance, and investment banking. He has developed strong networks across both the business and public sectors, which are expected to benefit the commission's work. The Presidency emphasized these qualifications in a statement released on Monday.
In addition to Patel's appointment, President Ramaphosa also appointed 25 new commissioners earlier this year. The commission is described as an independent, statutory, multi-stakeholder body that oversees and facilitates South Africa's transition towards a low-emissions and climate-resilient economy.