Ramaphosa Appoints Nhlanhla Nene to Lead Fiscal Commission

The appointments were made in terms of section 221 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996 and section 8 of the Financial and Fiscal Commission Act of 1997.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed former Finance Minister Nhlanhla Musa Nene as Chairperson of South Africa's Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC), placing an experienced public finance figure at the helm of the institution responsible for advising different spheres of government on financial and fiscal matters.

The Presidency announced the appointment on Tuesday alongside the selection of Malijeng Ngqaleni as Deputy Chairperson. Bulelwa Dygrecia Nqadolo, Advocate Neo Khethang Tsholanku, Andrew Robert Donaldson and Astrid Ludin have also been appointed as members of the Commission, bringing together officials and specialists with backgrounds spanning public finance, taxation, regulation, law and economic policy.

The appointments were made in terms of section 221 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996 and section 8 of the Financial and Fiscal Commission Act of 1997.

Nene brings national finance experience to the FFC

Nene enters the position with extensive experience in government and public finance, having previously served as South Africa's Minister of Finance and Deputy Minister of Finance. He was also a Member of Parliament and served on the Local Organising Committee responsible for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

His appointment puts a former Finance Minister in charge of an institution whose work touches directly on the distribution and management of public resources across national, provincial and local government.

The FFC provides recommendations to Parliament, provincial legislatures, local government and other organs of state on financial and fiscal matters contemplated in the Constitution and national legislation. Its work gives policymakers independent input on some of the financial questions affecting the different levels of government.

Ngqaleni, who is already a member of the Commission, brings considerable National Treasury experience to her new role as Deputy Chairperson. She previously served as Deputy Director-General for Intergovernmental Relations at National Treasury and held senior positions dealing with provincial and local government infrastructure, budgets and policy analysis.

New members bring finance, legal and regulatory expertise

Nqadolo's career has included several senior positions in provincial and municipal finance. She previously served as Deputy Director-General for Municipal Financial Governance and held Chief Financial Officer and other senior financial administration roles at the Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury.

Advocate Tsholanku currently heads Corporate Legal Services at the South African Revenue Service (SARS). His career includes work in criminal investigations at SARS as well as senior legal and compliance positions at Eskom and the South African Broadcasting Corporation. He has also worked as a practising advocate and public prosecutor.

Donaldson brings a combination of government budgeting and academic research experience. He is a Senior Research Associate at the University of Cape Town's Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit and previously served as a National Treasury Deputy Director-General responsible for the Budget Office and Public Finance. He also served as Acting Head of the Government Technical Advisory Centre.

Ludin adds experience from South Africa's financial regulatory system. She previously served as a Deputy Commissioner at the Financial Sector Conduct Authority, with responsibilities covering financial markets, retirement fund supervision and the regulator's digital transformation.

She is also President of the International Organisation of Pension Supervisors and has occupied senior positions at the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, Department of Trade and Industry, Competition Commission and Prudential Authority.

Appointments will run for five years

The new appointments are for five-year terms beginning from the date each appointee assumes office. Nene will serve as the Commission's full-time Chairperson, while Ngqaleni and the other appointed members will perform their duties on a part-time basis.

The Presidency said the combination of expertise, experience and institutional knowledge represented by the appointments would bring considerable value to the Commission as it carries out its constitutional responsibilities.

Ramaphosa congratulated Nene, Ngqaleni and the newly appointed members and wished them well as they take on their responsibilities at the FFC.

The President also thanked outgoing Chairperson Dr Patience Nombeko Mbava for the dedication and expertise she brought to the Commission during her term, marking the leadership transition as the new group prepares to guide the institution through its next five-year cycle.