COMMISSIONER PROFILES
PROF IVAN TUROK
Commission Chairperson
Professor Turok is Acting Executive Director at the Human
Sciences Research Council and Honorary Professor at the
Universities of Cape Town and Glasgow. He is a Member of the
Academy of Science of SA and has over 30 years’ experience
researching cities and regions in different parts of the world.
Professor Turok is also Editor-in-Chief of the international journal
Regional Studies, and a Board Member of the Regional Studies
Association. He has a PhD in Economics, a Masters in Urban
Planning and a BSc in Geography. He is a regular advisor to the
United Nations, OECD, European Commission, African
Development Bank and SA government on various aspects of
urban and regional development. He has published over 100
academic papers and was a lead author of the 2011 State of South
African Cities Report.
Contact number: 021 466 7866/0827354078
Email:: [email protected]
Commissioner
MR PASCAL MOLOI
Commission Deputy Chairperson
Mr Pascal Moloi obtained a BA (Social Sciences) from the
University of the Witwatersrand. He is the sole Director and
founder of Modiro Pascal Moloi Consulting (Pty) Limited. He has
held an extensive number of senior leadership positions in the
public sector. His key areas of expertise are in Public Sector
Management, Change Management, Public Policy and Strategy
Advisory, facilitation and Organisational/Institutional Design.
He was City Manager of the City of Johannesburg where he had
the responsibility to implement the transformation and
restructuring plan. The key milestones included the establishment
of the unicity itself; the establishment of 14 municipal owned
entities to deliver basic services to the city; the achievement of an
A+ credit rating; the establishment of a performance management
system; and hosting of key city events including the Joburg World
Summit. He was the Managing Director of the Resolve Group. His
recent activities include being a Member and Chair of the National
Department of Human Settlement’s Capacity and Compliance
Assessment Panel; Leader and researcher for the Conditions of
Service and labour relations pillar for the Ministry of Public
Services’ public sector repositioning exercise; Member of the
National Planning Commission; appointed on the panel of experts
to draft the National Integrated Urban Development Framework
(IUDF); and recently appointed as member and Chairperson of the
Minister of Human Settlement’s Advisory Council
Contact Number: 012 3081829/082 7825952
Email: [email protected]
MS VIV MCMENAMIN
Ms McMenamin holds an Honours Degree in Social Science,
majoring in Economics from the University of Cape Town,
and a Masters in Economic Science from the University of London.
She is a well-known figure in Durban, having been involved
in a number of mega projects, including the Point Development,
and she was an Economic Advisor to President Thabo Mbeki . She
has made a significant contribution towards the objectives
of the KZN Growth Coalition. She is currently the Director of the
Land & Forestry Division of Mondi, having joined the company in
2003. She became a Sustainable Development Director and a
member of the Mondi South Africa Board in 2004. She has held
her current portfolio as Managing Director Forestry for Mondi
South Africa Division since the beginning of 2006.
Contact number: 031 4512401/ 082 8886034
Email: [email protected]
MR AKASH SINGH
Mr Akash Singh is a registered Chartered Accountant and
has completed his MBA degree.
He is the Chief Executive Officer at Sigma International,
which is a global consulting business with offices in South
Africa and the USA. He is a member of the Board of the
Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the last 8
years and a past president of the Chamber. Prior to joining
Sigma International, he was a General Manager: Product at
Nedcor as well as General Manager- Finance at BOE Bank.
Prior to banking, he was a Dispute Analysis and Investigations
Manager at Price Waterhouse Coopers (Durban)
where he had undertaken a series of investigations both in
the private and public sector. He completed his articles at
the Price Waterhouse Coopers.
He has been selected as a representative to PUM, a Netherlands
government programme that provides global mentorship
and he is a member of the Council and Board of the
South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI).
Contact number: 083 638 0339
Email: [email protected]
THATO TSAUTSE
Ms Tsautse has an impressive background in both the professional
legal arena and in the corporate environment within the Shipping
Industry.
She completed her articles at Bheka Shezi & Partners, working
independently and with Counsel from an early stage. This shaped
her legal acumen, professionalism and personal motivation.
When she had completed her articles, she was appointed as a
Legal Assistant in the Durban Municipality, where she was
responsible for prosecuting contraventions of city by-laws and
overseeing insurance litigation. After the 1994 elections, she was
tasked with merging numerous municipalities into one.
By 1996, she formed a partnership, Makhanya, Tsautse and
Mvambo, where she was the marketing partner. Here she was
able to break new ground by making inroads into previously white
dominated fields of work.
In 2000, Tsautse was asked to join the Port of Durban as the Acting
Port Legal Advisor, where she quickly expanded her expertise to
include maritime work. She was promoted to Legal Manager of SA
Port Operations, a division of Transnet, in 2001. From 2002, the
legal department reported directly to the CEO of SAPO, and
Tsautse was tasked with heading the Legal Department nationally.
Contact number: 083 419 1676
Email: [email protected]
Commissioner
PROFESSOR URMILLA BOB
Prof. Urmilla Bob holds a B.A. Pedagogic degree in Education,
English and Geography from the University of Durban-Westville,
B.A. Honours in Geography from the University of South Africa and
a Masters in Geography (1994) as well as a PhD in Geography
(1999) from West Virginia University in the U.S.A. She is currently
the University Dean of Research and a Full Professor of Geography
in the School of Agriculture, Earth and Environmental Sciences at
the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Prof Bob conducts research on a
range of developmental and environmental issues, including socioeconomic impact assessments of developmental projects in
relation to conservation and ecotourism projects as well as
sustainable livelihoods in both rural and urban contexts. She has
published in these fields in both nationally and internationally
recognized academic books, conference proceedings and journals.
She has also contributed to numerous technical reports. She has
training expertise in quantitative (questionnaire surveys, SPSS,
participatory GIS, etc.) and qualitative (participatory rural
appraisal, mental mapping, problem ranking, focus groups, etc.)
methodologies and techniques, monitoring and evaluation,
development of indicators, environmental impact assessments,
and gender analytical methodologies.
Contact number: 031 260 2501/ 073 133 0147
Email: [email protected]
DR MALCOLM MITCHELL
Dr Malcolm Mitchell is a registered Professional Engineer and a
Senior Fellow of SAICE. Since graduating at Natal University in
1956 he has been awarded two Doctorates (in engineering and in
transport economics), and a Master’s degree in Administration. He
has had 58 years of experience in civil engineering, in both the
public and private sectors, mainly in construction, including
tunnelling, roads, geotechnical and urban transport design, and
transport policy and financing. He has been a member of many
professional bodies and represented South Africa in such
international bodies. He retired in 1998 after serving 9 years as
Deputy Director-General: Transport with the overall responsibility
for all land transport in South Africa. Since retirement he has been
active in contract dispute mediation, transport research and
strategic planning, and the mentoring of many newly qualified civil
engineers. He has published 80 papers, including keynote
addresses at international conferences and lectured at the World
Bank, at its request. He has professional awards for outstanding
services to the Transportation profession, outstanding services to
the Roads profession and a CSIR award for contributions to
transport research. He is currently external examiner in postgraduate studies at two South African universities
Contact number: 031 765 1046/ 083 460 0353
Email: [email protected]
MS YASMIN RAJAH
Ms Yasmin Rajah is a social worker by profession and the founding
Director of Refugee Social Services which is the social
implementing partner of the UNHCR (United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) in KZN.
She has worked in the child and family welfare and the refugee
and migrant sectors for many years and has developed expertise
in working with refugees in an urban setting.
She has served on the Board of Children First, and currently serves
on the Board of CoRMSA (Consortium for Refugees and Migrants
in South Africa), as well as on the Streetnet Financial Review
Committee. She has been selected by the UNHRC to participate in
NGO consultations, High Commissioners dialogues and other
forums at the UNHCR headquarters in Geneva.
Her passion lies in working with vulnerable communities and
promoting programmes that are holistic and developmental in
nature and which serve to empower.
Contact number: 031 310 3578/073 153 0597
Email: [email protected]
MR RORY EDWARD WILKINSON
Mr Wilkinson holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science from
University of Natal Pietermaritzburg (UKZN), and a Master’s Degree
in Town Planning from the University of Natal Durban (UKZN). He
also holds a Masters in Business Administration from the Graduate
School of Business. He is a registered professional Town Planner
(SACPLAN) and is a member of the South African Planners Institute
(SAPI). Rory is a regional councillor of the South African Property
Owners Association. Mr Wilkinson is currently the Planning Director
for Tongaat Hulett Developments (PTY) Ltd and has worked in the
land planning and property development arena for the past 19
years. He has been instrumental in the facilitation of a number of
Tongaat Hulett developments including the uMhlanga Ridge Town
Centre, Sibaya Casino, Ridgeside, Riverhorse Valley Business Estate,
Bridge City, Durban Point Development and the Cornubia Integrated
Human Settlement development.
Contact number: 031 560 1926/ 083 278 4299
Email: [email protected]
MS BEAUTY ZIBULA
Beauty Zibula is a Sample Machinist at Prestige Apparel and
has served the South African Clothing and Textile Workers
Union (SACTWU) for many years during which she took on
numerous leadership roles. She was the chairperson of,
SACTWU, Durban North. She also served as Durban South
Treasurer, Regional Deputy Chairperson, Chairperson in
the National Bargaining Council, 2nd Deputy President, 1st
Deputy President and National Gender Co-ordinator for
the organisation at different times.
She was also the Provincial Chairperson, National Gender
for COSATU.
Her involvement in the Union has ensured that she remains
an activist in the struggle for the rights of the workforce and
the vulnerable. She maintains her position in the ANC women’s
league.
Contact number: 031 304 1690
Email: [email protected]
MR GLEN ROBBINS
Glen Robbins is a part-time Honorary Research Fellow at
the School of Built Environment and Development Studies,
University of KwaZulu-Natal (Durban, South Africa) and a
specialist consultant focusing on regional and local economic
development, infrastructure planning, and financing
and trade and industrial policy. He previously headed the
Economic Development and City Enterprises functions in
the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality and served on the
board structures of a number of public and non-profit entities.
He has participated in a range of projects, in South
Africa and internationally, including urban and regional
economic development research as well as research projects
in the fields of employment, trade, labour dynamics,
transport/logistics and industrial development. Glen Robbins
serves as a Commissioner on the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial
Planning Commission and is on the Advisory Board
of the State of the African Cities Report project hosted by
the African Centre for Cities (at UCT). He has a Bachelor of
Social Science (Honours) from the former University of Natal,
an M.Phil. in Development Studies from the Institute of
Development Studies (University of Sussex) and is busy with
a Phd. at the University of Amsterdam’s Institute for Social
Science Research.
Contact number: 082 496 9396
Email: [email protected]
MR ERIC MTSHALI
Eric Mtshali is a trade unionist, and leader in uMkhonto weSizwe
and Member of Parliament.
He became active in the anti-apartheid and trade union
movement, organising workers in Durban since the 1950s
beginning with the Dock and Harbour Workers Union in
1951. In 1955 he assisted in established Southern African
Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (SACTWU). In 1964/5
Mtshali became the first editor of Dawn magazine, a position
he held until 1969. In the same year he began serving
as the ANC’s Chief Representative in Tanzania, a position he
retained until 1976. Mtshali then went to work as the South
Africa trade union representative at the World Federation
of Trade Unions in Prague, Czechoslovakia.
Mtshali returned to South Africa in 1991. Between 1995
and 2000 he was the Deputy-Commissioner of Criminal
Intelligence in Kwa-Zulu Natal. In the 2000 elections Mtshali
stood as the ANC councillor of the eThekwini Unicity
Municipality. Mtshali has been a Member of Parliament for
the ANC since 2004. He has sat on the parliamentary committees
on Labour, on Higher Education and Training and
on Human Settlements. He is also currently on the Central
Committee of the SACP.
Contact number: 083 571 8914
Email: [email protected]
DR SIPHIWE MKHIZE
Dr Siphiwe Mkhize holds a Diploma in Irrigation Sciences
from Bari Institute in Italy and a Bachelor of Science Degree
in Agronomy from Iowa State University, USA. He also holds
a Master of Science degree in Soil Chemistry and Fertility
from University of Reading in England, a Master’s degree
in Philosophy (Applied Ethics) in Environment from the University
of Stellenbosch and a PhD in Sustainable Ecological
Management from the University of Pretoria.
Dr Mkhize is currently the Head of Provincial and State
Owned Entities Performance Monitoring at the Department
of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). He was the Minister
Counsellor (Agriculture) at the South African Embassy in the
United States of America. He represented the South African
Agricultural interest in Mexico from September 2001 to July
2010. Prior to this he was the Director of International Relations
at the National Department of Agriculture.
He has represented the South African Agricultural sector on
various forums abroad and locally. He has written a number
of papers in the field of Agriculture, Development, Ethics
and Agricultural Biotechnology, and he is the author of a
book titled: Towards Hope and Challenge Agricultural
Biotechnology
and the Catholic Social Teachings: A Catholic
Ethic for Agriculture, Environment, Faith and Food (2004).
Contact number: 012 319 8469/ 0723682287
Email: [email protected]
MS LINDIWE RAKHAREBE
Lindiwe Rakarebe holds a B.A Degree in Management
Leadership (Free State University), a Diploma in management
Development Programme (Executive education),
Work orientation and language Certificate from the
University of Natal (UKZN), a marketing management Certificate
from Damelin Management School, and a number of professional
development programs including a Financial Services Training
programme (International Training solutions)
She has extensive experience in the financial services industry
and established relationships in KZN.
She is currently the CEO of the Durban ICC.
Contact number: 031 3601301/072 750 7523
Email: [email protected]