Issued by: Office of the Presidency
14 September 2000
President Mbeki has appointed Professor Wiseman Nkuhlu as his Special Economic Advisor with effect from 1 October 2000. Professor Nkuhlu is appointed on contract for the term of office of the President.
Professor Nkuhlu will provide strategic and expert advice to the President, Cabinet and Government on all matters relating to South Africa's economic development. The Advisor will also be expected to work closely with all government role-players, including Ministers, involved in the Economic Sector Cluster as well as organisations of civil society that operate in the economic domain. He will also play a central role in President Mbeki's initiative to advance Africa's economic recovery.
The Presidency looks forward to the arrival of Professor Nkuhlu and is confident that his presence in the office will contribute to making government more efficient and professional in its task of building a better life for all.
Professor Nkuhlu's CV is attached below.
CURRICULUM VITAE: WISEMAN LUMKILE NKUHLU
Professor Wiseman Lumkile Nkuhlu is the first African to qualify as a chartered accountant in South Africa. He qualified in 1976. After qualifying, he moved to Umtata to manage an audit practice as well as start the Department of Accounting at the University of Transkei. He completed an MBA at the University of New York in 1982.
He served as Head of the Department of Accounting at Unitra from 1977 to 1982, first as a Senior Lecturer and later as Professor of Accounting. His audit practice in Umtata produced two of the five African Chartered Accountants in 1982. Subsequent to 1982, more CA's have qualified from the practice he started.
From 1983, Prof. Nkuhlu became very active in the economic development field. He published a number of articles and presented papers at numerous conferences on socio-economic development issues. His publications include an article entitled " Economic Empowerment in Sub-Saharan Africa During and After the Colonial Era" published in Vol 1, No 1, February 1990, Development Southern Africa and a chapter entitled " Affirmative Action for South Africa in Transition : From Theory to Practice" in Affirmative Action in a Democratic South Africa, Juta & Co LTD, 1993.
Prof. Nkuhlu was Chairman of the board of the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) from 1993 to July 2000. He chaired the transformation Task Team appointed by the Minister of finance in 1994 to review the mandate and core business of the DBSA. The report of the Transformation Task Team was accepted by the cabinet in June 1995 and became the basis for the new DBSA. He chaired the National Empowerment Consortium bid for Johnnic taking part in all the major negotiations with Anglo American Corporation. He serves on the boards of various companies, including Old Mutual, JCI and Tongaat Hulett. Previously, he served as a director of Standard Bank Investment Corporation and South African Breweries.
He became Vice-Principal of the University of Transkei in 1983 and Principal and Vice Chancellor in January 1987. He served as Vice Chancellor for a period of five years. He then became Chief Executive of the Independent Development Trust from May 1992 to May 1995.
He founded Worldwide African Investment Holdings (PTY) Ltd (WAIH) together with three other colleagues and served as its Chairman from May 1995 to June 1997. During this period, WAIH made major investments in Plessey, Norwich, Zenex and Johnnic and concluded strategic relationships with three major financial institutions.
His contribution to national transformation has been mainly through the Black Management Forum. He has been a member of the organisation for more than ten years and was its National President from 1991 to 1995. His areas of experience and expertise include economic planning and development, strategic planning and organisational transformation, financial management and higher education.
In April 1998, the Minister of Education appointed him Chairman of the Council on Higher Education. The mandate of the council is to advise on the transformation and development of Higher Education in Post Apartheid South Africa. The Council is destined to play a significant role in the transformation of higher education and training. In December 1999, the President appointed him Chairman of the Thabo Mbeki Development Fund for the Disabled.
In July 1998, he established Midland Economic Equity Group LTD (MEEG). MEEG is an integrated financial services group with four subsidiaries, including MEEG Bank, which has branches in the Eastern Cape.
He has received a number of awards for his leadership in business and education, including an award by the Association for the Advancement of Black Accountants in 1990 and a merit award by the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce in 1993. In September 1999, he was awarded a D. Com (HC) by the University of the Orange Free State and in December 1999, D. Com (HC) by the University of Stellenbosch.
He serves as National President of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants for two years, April 1998 to March 2000. During this period he successfully transformed the Institute into a truly non-racial organisation with a black Chief Executive.
He served on the International advisory Councils of the following: International Finance Corporation (member of the World Bank), the Foreign Policy Association, New York and the Independent Newspapers Group.
He was born on 5 February 1944 at Cala in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. He is married to Hazel Nondima (nee Mahlulo) and they have four children.
Enquiries: Nazeem Mahatey
082 376 3820
Issued by
Communications Unit
The Presidency
P/Bag X1000
Pretoria
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