A Presidential review committee, established by President Jacob Zuma in May to offer guidance on how some 300 State-owned enterprises (SoEs) and agencies could contribute to government's ‘developmental State' mandate, has been given until September 2011 to conclude its work.

Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane said on Tuesday that the 12-person committee, which is headed by Riah Phiyega, would also provide a midterm report during February 2011, in which it would provide an update on how the review was progressing and provide initial recommendations.

Chabane also outlined the terms of reference for the committee, which will review all entities including SoEs, agencies, utilities, as well as companies in which the State has a significant shareholding.

There are an estimated 300 SoEs, of which only the nine major ones, including Eskom and Transnet, report to the Department of Public Enterprises. The balance report to various ministries, provinces and municipalities.

Five work streams had been established to assess development and transformation, ownership and governance, viability of SoE business cases, strategic and operational effectiveness, and research and development.

Chabane indicated that the review will interrogate whether SoE failures were exaggerated and whether these entities did in fact perform worse than private firms. The review would also assess whether reform was necessary and make recommendations as to how this could be accomplished.

The committee would also be expected to make recommendations regarding policy for the establishment and de-establishment of such entities.

Besides Phiyega, who is currently corporate affairs executive at Absa, having previously held senior positions at Transnet, the other members of the committee include: Glen Mashishi, CEO of Nullarbor Management Consultancy Services; former Transnet CEO Mafika Mkhwanazi, who currently serves as a nonexecutive director at a range of JSE-listed companies; Deon Crafford, of Barnstone Holdings; Swazi Tshabalala, CEO of the Industrial Development Group; Dawn Morole, who has been a director of a number of large companies; Pramod Mohanlal, of Nedbank; Gugu Ngcobo, who has cultural industry and telecommunications experience; Professor Mbulelo Mzamane, an academic, who previously served as the vice-chancellor and rector of the University of Fort Hare; Dr Takalani Madima, a lawyer, who is currently adjunct professor of law in commercial law at the University of Cape Town; Lumkile Mondi, the chief economist of the Industrial Development Corporation; and Nombulelo Mkhumane, of the Limpopo Economic Development Enterprise.