All media are invited to the official opening of the Economic Development Department's 2nd Annual Conference on Thursday, 19 April and Friday, 20 April between 10:00 and 12:15. Professor Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel Laureate and world renowned economist will be the keynote speaker at the event.

Further media updates will be given during the course of the day. Conference participants will include national Cabinet members, senior officials, academics and leaders of industry, labour and civil society.

Venue: Birchwood Hotel & Conference Centre, Boksburg
Date: Thursday, 19 April 2012
Time: 10:00 t0 12:15

Kindly confirm your attendance by completing the attached registration form and sending it to rdaniels@economic.gov.za.

Programme

Second Annual Economic Development Conference: Infrastructure and Development

Thursday, 19 April 2012

09:00-10:00: Registration and refreshments
10:00-12:15: Plenary
Venue: OR Tambo 1, Birchwood Conference Centre

“Infrastructure and Development: South African challenges and experiences”
Minister Ebrahim Patel, Economic Development

“Infrastructure and Development: Reflections from the Global Experience”
Professor Joseph Stiglitz

University Professor, Columbia University; President, International Economics Association; Chair, Commission of Experts of the President of the U.N. General Assembly on reform of the international monetary and financial system; 2011 Nobel Prize in Economics

12:15-13:30: Panels

Session 1: Infrastructure for rural development
Venue: OR Tambo 1, Birchwood Conference Centre
Chair: Minister Gugile Nkwinti, Rural Development and Land Reform
Speakers: Hans van der Merwe, Executive Director, AgriSA
Richard Goode, Lead Strategist, DBSA
MEC Louisa Mabe, Finance, North West province

Session 2: Infrastructure and skills
Venue: Cape Town International, Birchwood Conference Centre
Chair: Minister Blade Nzimande, Higher Education and Training
Speakers: Raymond Patel, CEO, MerSETA
Dennis George, General Secretary, FEDUSA
Rowan Goeller, Director, Group Five
Neville Gurry, CEO, SAFCEC

Session 3: Infrastructure and supplier industries
Venue: Cape Town International, Birchwood Conference Centre
Chair: Minister Thulas Nxesi, Public Works
Speakers: Brian Molefe, CEO, Transnet
Thero Setiloane, CEO, Business Leadership South Africa
Zavareh Rustomjee, CEO, Zavareh Rustomjee and Associates
Lawrence Mavundla, Vice President, Black Business Council
Maxwell Sirenya, Director General, Department of Water Affairs

13:30-14:30: Lunch
14:30-15:45: Panels

Session 4: Infrastructure and empowerment
Venue: Cape Town International, Birchwood Conference Centre
Chair: Deputy Minister Lechesa Tsenoli, Rural Development and Land Reform
Speakers:Sandile Zungu, Chairman, Zungu Investments, and Secretary, Black Business CouncilRudi Dicks, Executive Director, NALEDI
Ferial Haffajee, Editor, City Press
Cassius Reginald Lubisi, Director General, Office of the Presidency

Session 5: Infrastructure and the green agenda
Venue: King Shaka, Birchwood Conference Centre
Chairs: Minister Elizabeth Dipuo Peters or Deputy Minister Barbara Thompson, Energy
Speakers: Saleem Mowzer, Acting Director General, Economic Development Department
Laurraine Lotter, Executive Director, Chemical & Allied Industries Association
Bheki Ntshalintshali, Deputy General Secretary, COSATU
Rentia van Tonder, Head, Green Industries, IDC

15:45-16:15: Tea
16:15-17:30: Panels

Session 6: Infrastructure and financing: Exploring options, ensuring sustainability
Venue: OR Tambo 1, Birchwood Conference Centre
Chair: Deputy Minister Dikobe Ben Martins, Public Enterprises
Speakers: Deputy Minister Jeremy Cronin, Transport
Sim Tshabalala, CEO, Standard Bank SA
Iraj Abedian, CEO, Pan-African Capital Holdings
Hamid Rashid, Senior Inter-Regional Adviser, UN-DESA
Professor Chris Malikane, Wits University
Avril Halstead, Chief Director, Department of National Treasury
Lynette Milne, PICC Technical Team

Session 7: Infrastructure and African development
Venue: King Shaka, Birchwood Conference Centre
Chair: Minister Gugile Nkwinti, Rural Development and Land Reform
Speakers: Ben Turok, Member of Parliament
Olive Shisana, CEO, HSRC
Ravi Naidoo, Group Executive, DBSA
Kannan Lakmeeharan, Divisional Executive, ESKOM
Kuben Naidoo, Head of Secretariat, National Planning Commission
Conclusions: Riad Khan, CEO, Port Regulator

17:30: Cocktail followed by braai (with live music)

Friday, 20 April 2012

9:30-11:00: Panels

Session 8: Infrastructure and industrialization: Localising inputs production
Venue: King Shaka, Birchwood Conference Centre
Chair: Minister Sibusiso Ndebele, Transport
Speakers: Stewart Jennings, CEO, PG Group
Geoffrey Qhena, CEO, IDC
Irvin Jim, General Secretary, NUMSA
Brian Dames, CEO, ESKOM
Nimrod Zalk, Deputy Director-General, Department of Trade and Industry
Conclusions: Minister Ebrahim Patel, Economic Development

Session 9: Infrastructure and municipal government
Venue: Cape Town International, Birchwood Conference Centre
Chair: Minister Richard Baloyi, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Speakers: Tshokolo Nchocho, Acting CEO, DBSA
Mthandeki Nhlapo, General Secretary, SAMWU
Mondli Gungubele, Executive Mayor, Ekurhuleni

11:00-11:30: Tea
11:30-13:00: Panels

Session 10: Infrastructure and jobs
Venue: OR Tambo 1, Birchwood Conference Centre
Chair: Mmathulare Coleman, Chair of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Economic Development
Speakers: Professor Evance Kalula,UCT
Manene Samela, General Secretary, NACTU
Jorge Maia, Head, Economic Research & Information Department, IDC
Neva Makgetla, Deputy Director-General, Economic Development Department

Session 11: Infrastructure and innovation
Venue: King Shaka, Birchwood Conference Centre
Chair: Minister Naledi Pandor, Science and Technology
Speakers: Cornelius Ruiters, Executive Director, Built Environment Unit, CSIR
Marjorie Pyoos, Independent Consultant, SABS
Rasigan Maharajh, Chief Director, Institute of Economic Research on Innovation
Nic Dawes, Editor-in-Chief, Mail & Guardian

Session 12: Infrastructure, mining and beneficiation: what is needed, where
Venue: Cape Town International, Birchwood Conference Centre
Chair: Minister Susan Shabangu, Mineral Resources
Speakers: Andile Sangqu, Executive Director, Xstrata
Paul Jourdan, Resource-based development consultant
Abel Malinga, Divisional Executive: Mining and Manufacturing Industries, IDC
NUM Representative (tbc)

13:00-14:00: Lunch
14:00-15:30: Plenary

Roundtable: Taking infrastructure forward – The role of the public sector, the private sector and civil society: partnerships, lessons and opportunities
Venue: OR Tambo 1, Birchwood Conference Centre
Facilitators: Minister Ebrahim Patel, Economic Development and Minister Gugile Ernest Nkwinti, Rural Development and Land Reform
Participants: Max Sisulu, Speaker of Parliament
Zwelinzima Vavi, General Secretary, COSATU
Bobby Godsell, Chairperson, Business Leadership SA
Ndaba Ntsele, Chair, Black Business Council

15:30-15:45: Closure and thanks – Minister Ebrahim Patel, EDD
15:45-16:30: Tea and departure