The Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, Mr Gugile Nkwinti, has appointed Dr Nozizwe Makgalemele as Acting Director-General as well as Mr Sibusiso Gamede as Acting Chief Land Claims Commissioner. These two positions became vacant on 31 July following the departure of Mr Thozi Gwanya, who was the Director-General for the department and Mr Andrew Mphela, who was the Chief Land Claims Commissioner.
Dr Makgalemele, the second black woman in South Africa to be awarded a Masters Degree in Town and Regional Planning, holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Southern California. She was a board member of the Land Bank from 2002 to 2005 and was featured in the Top Women in Business and Government magazine based on her contribution towards gender empowerment in the department.
When the department was still called Land Affairs, she was the Deputy Director-General for the Branch: Land Planning and Information, which was responsible for the surveying, mapping, registration of land, as well as for spatial planning and information.
After the establishment of the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform she took responsibility for the Branch Geo-spatial Services, Technology Development and Disaster Management Branch, which is responsible for surveys and mappings, spatial planning and information, development of appropriate technologies and disaster management.
Mr Gamede, the Deputy Chief Land Claims Commissioner, is a lawyer and Conveyancer by profession and former CEO of the Black Lawyers’ Association Legal Education Centre and he was the previous Minister’s Special Advisor on matters relating to agriculture and land reform and restitution until March 2009.
“I have full confidence in both Dr Makgalemele and Mr Gamede in steering the department and the commission in the right direction during this transitional period. They have distinguished themselves very admirably in their fields of expertise. The executive team at the department has high regards for them,” Minister said when making the announcement.
Enquiries:
Mtobeli Mxotwa
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