​Two high-level appointments of staff from the School of Public Leadersthip (SPL) at Stellenbosch University have recently been made. Prof Tania Ajam, professor in Public Policy, Economics and Finance at SPL is one of the members of President Cyril Ramphosa's new Presidential Economic Advisory Council, while Prof Mark Swilling, Academic Director of the Sustainability Institute, has been appointed as Deputy Chair of the new Board of the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA).

Congratulating both Professors Swilling and Ajam with their appointments, Prof Johan Burger, Director of the School of Public Leadership, said: "We wish them both good luck with the work that these bodies must do for the development of South Africa." 

Prof Mark Swilling

Prof Swilling is a Distinguished Professor and Programme Coordinator: Sustainable Development at SPL, and Academic Director of the Sustainability Institute. He is a rated researcher with the National Research Foundation and is co-director of the Centre for Complex Systems in Transition (CST), and on the Management Board of the Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies (CRSES).​​​

Swilling said this is his sixth year on the DBSA Board. He will serve as Deputy Chair for the next three years, and as Chairperson of the Infrastructure Delivery and Knowledge Committee (IDKC) of the Board. The DBSA has traditionally played a major role in development finance in general, and infrastructure funding in particular.

“It came through the state capture years unscathed, with clean audits every year and no reports of wasteful or unwarranted expenditure," Swilling said.

“It has R90 billion worth of assets, and it lends around R15 billion per annum. In 2018/2019 we disbursed R9 billion, which is low because of adverse economic conditions. At its AGM on Friday, 27 September, we announced a net profit of R3.1 billion – which we re-invest in development projects – and a pipeline of approved projects of R39 billion for the forthcoming year."

He said his personal agenda has been to “promote green investments and the adoption of what we now call our 'development position'. With regard to the former, we now have nearly R20 billion invested in renewable energy and we have become a designated agency of the Global Climate Facility that has made available $100 million for green investments, which we have matched."

According to Swilling, the DBSA employs about 600 staff, and its cost to income ratio is a remarkable 23%. With its newly adopted development position, the bank has shifted from being a purely infrastructure investment bank to a proper development bank.

The DBSA has established an Angel Investment Fund to make high risk low interest investments in SMMEs, in particular women-owned businesses; as well as a Social Impact Fund for generating social and environmental returns on financial investments. The bank is also seeding a new generation of local “D-Labs", i.e. innovative development labs for promoting entrepreneurship and employment in poor rural and urban areas.

In addition, the DBSA is managing the National Infrastructure Fund announced by the President, starting off with a R400 million project preparation facility provided by National Treasury.

“This is a strategically important initiative because it is a blended finance vehicle whereby private sector funding is attracted into infrastructure investments by public sector investments that take on more risk and require lower rates of return on investment," Swilling said.

“As Deputy Chair I will have more time to focus on the strategic guidance of these new green and developmental activities via the appropriate board committees, with less time spent on the wider stakeholder management that is the responsibility of the Chairperson." 

Prof Tania Ajam

An economist with broad experience in the design, analysis and implementation of fiscal policy, intergovernmental fiscal relations and government-wide monitoring and evaluation systems, Prof Ajam holds a M. Bus.Sc. (University of Cape Town) and a PhD in Public Management (University of Pretoria). She served on the Financial and Fiscal Commission, and on the Board of the Reserve Bank of South Africa.  She is also a member of the Davis Tax Review Committee.

President Ramaphosa, who announced the 18 members on Friday, hopes the council will help spur inclusive growth.

• The following article with the title Ramaphosa unveils 18-person economic brain trust​ by Jan Cronje and Lameez Omarjee, was published on fin24 on 27 September 2019:

President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday announced the members of his new Presidential Economic Advisory Council, an academic-heavy brain trust that he hopes will help spur inclusive growth.

The council, a non-statutory and independent body, will be chaired by Ramaphosa. Its 18 members – from South Africa and abroad - are appointed to serve three-year terms. They are not paid, but compensated for subsistence and travel.

The president first announced the idea for an economic advisory council 18 months ago during his maiden State of the Nation Address. At the time he said the council would work to "greater coherence and consistency in the implementation of economic policy".  

On Friday, Ramaphosa said the council would serve as a forum for "in-depth and structured discussions on emerging global and domestic developments". It will meet quarterly at first, before deciding on a timetable for meetings.

"The Council will also be instrumental in building a knowledge base of policy and implementation lessons, best practices and field-tested success stories," he said.

“These competent intellectuals have the potential to help guide South Africa to a new and more inclusive path of economic development that will foster economic growth and improve the living standards for all people."

Professor Adam Habib,the vice-chancellor and principal of Wits university, said the council was "one way in which universities can impact positively on society – through sharing and applying their skills and knowledge to benefit the public good."  Four academics from the university have been appointed to the advisory body. 

The 18 members of the council are: 

• Prof Benno Ndulu: Former governor of the Bank of Tanzania from 2008 until 2018.  
• Prof Mzukisi Qobo: Professor of International Business at the University if the Witwatersrand.
• Prof Dani Rodrik: Professor of International Political Economy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.
• Prof Mariana Mazzucato: Professor in the Economics of Innovation and Public Value, and founding director of the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose at the University College London.
• Mamello Matikinca-Ngwenya: First National Bank Chief Economist.
• Dr Renosi Mokate: Former Executive and Dean, University of South Africa Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL), and former Deputy Governor of the South African Reserve Bank.
• Dr Kenneth Creamer: Professor of Macroeconomics at Wits.
• Prof Alan Hirsch: Professor and founding director of the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance (formerly the Graduate School of Development Policy and Practice) at the University of Cape Town.
• Prof Tania Ajam: Teaches public financial management at the University of Stellenbosch School of Public Leadership.
• Dr Grové Steyn: Infrastructure and regulatory economist.
• Mr Wandile Sihlobo: Agricultural Economist and Head of Agribusiness Research at the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa.
• Dr Liberty Mncube: Former Chief Economist at the Competition Commission and current scholar at Wits University.
• Prof Fiona Tregenna: Professor in the Department of Economics and Econometrics at the University of Johannesburg.
• Prof Haroon Bhorat: Professor of Economics and Director of the Development Policy Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
• Mr Ayabonga Cawe: Development economist and former Economic Justice Manager at Oxfam South Africa.
• Prof Vusi Gumede: Former chief policy analyst in the Presidency's Policy Coordination and Advisory Service, and founding director of the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute at the University of South Africa.
• Dr Thabi Leoka: An economist who has worked for various organisations in the financial sector.
• Prof Imraan Valodia: Economist and Dean of the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management at the University of Witwatersrand.

Ramaphosa said the presidency is in the process of finalising the appointment of a "seasoned economist and leader from West Africa" who has accepted an invitation for her to serve as a member of the Council.​​