The names of the 12 individuals who have been selected to serve on a committee that will review the country's State-owned enterprises (SoE), many of which are experiencing financial distress and/or operational problems, were released by President Jacob Zuma during his Budget Vote address to Parliament on Thursday.

The committee, dubbed the ‘Presidential SoE Review Committee' would assess the financial viability of the country's major SoEs, its development finance institutions, as well as companies in which the State has a significant shareholding.

It would also assess the ability of these oganisations to "respond to a clearly defined public mandate, and help us to build a developmental State," Zuma said.

The committee will be led by Riah Phiyega, who is currently corporate affairs executive at Absa, having previously held senior positions at State freight logistics group Transnet.

The other members of the committee include:

• Glen Mashishi, CEO of Nullarbor Management Consultancy Services;
• Former Trasnet 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 at a number of large companies, including Kumba Resources;
• Pramod Mohanlal, of Nedbank;
• Gugu Ngcobo, who has cultural industry and telecommunications experience;
• Prof 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.

The review committee would be expected to complete its work over a period of a year.