SACPLAN Council Members

PPA Section
Rural Municipality (Section 4(1)(c))

Employed at
Ray Nkonyeni Municipality

Province
KwaZulu-Natal

Mr Khetha Zulu currently works for Ray Nkonyeni Municipality as Head of Department: Development Planning Services and previously worked at the same institution as Head of Department: Strategic Planning and Governance since 2008. As the HoD he is part of the municipality’s executive management, reporting to the Municipal Manager and charged with providing strategic leadership in the municipality with regards to the following functions: town planning, GIS, building control, environmental management, outdoor advertising, investment facilitation, technology hub, LED and aviation services.

Mr Zulu obtained a Master’s Degree in Town and Regional Planning from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, a Master of Commerce in Leadership Studies from the same institution, a Certificate in Municipal Finance Management Programme from the University of Pretoria, a Certificate in Ethics Programme from the University of Stellenbosch, and a Certificate in Thought Leadership for Africa’s Renewal with Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute based at UNISA.

Mr Zulu has 21 years of experience as a civil servant and in all those years dealing with town and regional planning related work both at coalface and management level including 2 years as a Municipal Manager. He has worked for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, National Department of Public Works, Ugu District Municipality, Hibiscus Coast Municipality, Ezinqoleni Municipality and now Ray Nkonyeni Municipality. One of his career highlights was presenting a conference paper at the Conference of the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP), part of the reviewing panel for an accredited town planning journal and Chairperson of South African Council for Planners since 2017

PPA Section
Community (Section 4(1)(e))

Employed at
Hlahlinelela Management Strategies

Province
KwaZulu-Natal

Ms Sibusisiwe Maureen Ngcobo is the married mother of 2 sons. Her highest educational achievement is an MSoc Science (Policy and Development) obtained from the University of KwaZulu-Natal; Pietermaritzburg campus. In her career life Ms Ngcobo has served both in the Public and Private sectors respectively. She has worked in different government Departments from entry level to Executive Management Levels. Whilst in the Public Sector employ her career expanded in the fields of Policy Development, Sociology, Education, Community Development; Organisational Strategy Development; Performance Management; Business Re-engineering; Sector Transformation; Biodiversity Conservation; and Natural Resource Management.

Ms Ngcobo’s career as an independent Management Strategy Consultant has seen her serve in structures advancing Good Corporate Governance like Board Memberships, Panel of Expert Memberships; Advisory Services and others. Her career includes working with International Organisations like UN Women, South Africa.

Her life ethos and passion as a transformational leader is “existing for a higher purpose” and this has seen her serving in Social Welfare structures at community level (especially working with the religious sector) to rebuild and restore dignity to the disadvantaged. Serving makes her content and one of her favourited readings is Bonang Mohale’s book titled “Lift as you Rise”.

PPA Section
DALRRD (Section 4(1)(a))

Employed at
Department Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD)

Province
Gauteng

Ms. Nkhensani Khosa is the Professional Planner, a senior practitioner employed by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) under Spatial Planning, Land Use Management (SPLUM) in Gauteng Province. Ms. Khosa is tasked to lead and champion spatial planning and land use management, to support eleven Municipalities in Gauteng Province with the implementation of SPLUMA. Also, to provide Professional Technical (planning and geospatial) support mainstreamed to Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Programmes within the Provincial Shared Services Centre (PSSC) Gauteng.

Prior to that, Ms. Khosa worked for the Municipal Infrastructure Agent (MISA) under the Department of Corporative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) National – Project Management Branch. She also worked at the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality – Department of Economic Development under Integrated Regional Economic Development.

Previously, Ms. Khosa worked at the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements under the Development Planning division, and lastly worked at the National Department of Human Settlements under Programme Management and M&E divisions. She has forged a career in the public sector where she contributed in shaping and influencing the developmental agenda in all three spheres of government as it evolved over the years, served in various portfolios and indeed has public interest at heart to ensure shared and equitable growth.

PPA Section
DALRRD (Section 4(1)(a))

Employed at
Department Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD)

Province
North West

Mr Tukisetso Nelson Kopele matriculated from Utlwanang Barolong High School (Madibogo village, North West) in 1997 and was admitted to the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Town and Regional Planning (BSc TRP) in 2000. Joined Greater Taung Local Municipality, North West Province as a Town Planner. He was part of the professional team that developed the first Land Use Scheme, Environmental Management Framework and Spatial Development Framework for Greater Taung Local Municipality in 2005.

In January 2006, Mr Kopele was appointed Senior Town Planner in Maruleng Municipality, Limpopo Province and later appointed Director Spatial Planning and Economic Development in December 2008. In his tenure in Maruleng Local Municipality, he was project lead in the sourcing of funding, land acquisition and construction of Kruger2Canyon Biosphere and Tourism Nodal Centre situated in Zandspruit Estates, Hoedspruit. He championed the development process for the establishment of Mahlakung Shopping Centre in Metz village. Currently providing advisory services for development of The Oaks Shopping Centre.

In March 2009 became a Professional Planner registered with the South African Council for Planners (SACPLAN). He completed a Certificate Programme in Management Development for Municipal Finance (CPMD) with the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg in 2012.

Mr Kopele joined Ratlou Local Municipality (North West) as Director Planning and Development in April 2012. Tasked to establish the Directorate Planning and Development, documenting and upgrading of South African War heritage sites in Kraaipan village, setting up of Nelson Mandela Exhibition Centre in Kraaipan. Currently involved with the Setlagole Commercial Hub Redevelopment, Madibogo and Setlagole Settlement Formalisation and Land Tenure Upgrade.

In January 2017 Mr Kopele joined the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development as Director Spatial Planning and Land Use Management (NW PSSC). Currently serves as member of Municipal Planning Tribunal for the following municipalities: City of Matlosana, Kgetlengrivier, Lekwa-Teemane, Mahikeng, Moretele and Ratlou.

Key projects and programmes include the NW SPLUM Bill, Municipal Support (LUS, SDF and Precinct Plans), Spatial Planning and Land Use Management, Settlement Formalisation and Land Tenure Upgrading, Geo-Spatial Planning, Agri-Parks, Rural Development Sector Plans and District Development Model.

PPA Section
Provincial Government (Section 4(1)(b))

Employed at
Department Environmental Affairs and Development Planning

Province
Western Cape

Mrs Helena Jacobs is a Registered Professional Planner with the South African Council for Planners (SACPLAN) with 30 years’ post qualification experience. She holds a primary qualification in Town and Regional Planning and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration.

Mrs Jacobs is currently employed as Director in the Western Cape Government: Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (the Department), responsible for overseeing development planning intelligence management and research. Key competencies and experience gained in the three leading Provinces of Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape are at Municipal, Provincial and Private Sector levels and include inter alia knowledge in a wide variety of fields in Spatial, Land Use and Development Planning, Cooperative Governance and Intergovernmental Relations.

Mrs Jacobs is a member of the Regional Western Cape South African Planning Institute (SAPI) Committee, is a founding member of the Department’s Gender Mainstreaming Forum and she is a representative on the Western Cape Gender Based Violence Transversal Group. Her personal motto is ‘reinvest, and create value through visionary and strategic leadership’.”

PPA Section
Education (Section 4(1)(d))

Employed at
North West University (NWU)

Province
North West

Prof James Chakwizira is a professor in the Subject Group, Urban and Regional Planning, School of Geo- and Spatial Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa. Professor Chakwizira served as the Head of Department, Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture at the University of Venda (UNIVEN) for thirteen years, between January 2009 – October 2021. Prior to joining the University of Venda, Prof Chakwizira worked at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Pretoria initially as a Senior Researcher under the Rural Access and Development Research Group in the Rural Infrastructure and Services Competency Area and later as an Acting Research Group Leader in the Transport Systems and Operations Competency Area of the Built Environment Unit. Prof Chakwizira holds the following qualifications: PhD in Urban and Regional Planning (University of Venda); MPhil in Urban and Regional Planning (University of Zimbabwe); BSc (Hons) in Urban and Regional Planning (University of Zimbabwe); He also holds a post-graduate Diploma in Transport Planning and Management (Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport – United Kingdom), post-graduate Diploma in Urban Planning (Erasmus University – Netherlands), and Post Graduate Diploma in Higher Education (University of KwaZulu-Natal).

Prof Chakwizira is a registered Professional Planner with the South African Council of Planners (SACPLAN); a corporate member of the South African Planning Institute (SAPI), a corporate member of the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE), a former Deputy Chairperson of SACPLAN (4), a former Chairperson of the Committee of Heads of Planning Schools (CHoPS) in South Africa. He is also a member of the National Transport Forum. Besides being a Council member, he also serves on the Registration Committee (RC) as well as being a member of the Education and Training Committee (ETC). James is an experienced spatial and transportation specialist with over 27 years cumulative post-graduate experience and has consulted on national and regional projects in Africa, Asia, and Europe. He is a Deputy Editor of the Town and Regional Planning Journal (ISSN 1012-280X (print) and ISSN 2415-0495 (online) (South Africa) and appointed Editorial Board member on the Journal of Inclusive Cities and Built Environment (South Africa); Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture – ISSN: 2332-1091 (Print) and ISSN: 2332-1121 (Online) (USA); Journal of Human, Earth, and Future – ISSN: 2785-2997 (Italy) among several local and international Journals appointments. He has published, taught at universities in Southern Africa, practiced in both the public and private sector leading multidisciplinary teams and units focusing on local and regional transportation, smart cities, spatial planning and development, planning legislation and governance, spatial justice and resilience, sustainable regional economic development, climate change and adaptation, regional integration, appropriate technology, poverty reduction and wealth creation and sustainable human settlements.

His passion is to continuously provide thought leadership in the application of new knowledge and technological innovations in order to resolve the challenges of the marginalised and disadvantaged communities and societies inhabiting the built and non-built environments of Africa.

PPA Section
Education (Section 4(1)(d))

Employed at
University of KwaZulu- Natal (UKZN)

Province
KwaZulu-Natal

Prof Hangwelani Hope Magidimisha-Chipungu is an academic in the Department of Town and Regional Planning, University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). She is an NRF-rated researcher. She is currently appointed as a national planning commissioner at the office of the presidency. Prof Magidimisha-Chipungu is also the first black South African born women to be appointed Associate Professor in Town and Regional Planning in South Africa based at UKZN.

Prof Magidimisha-Chipungu holds a Masters in the same field and a degree in Geography and Environment – both from UKZN. She is also a co-general rapporteur for the 57th ISOCARP Congress hosted in Doha, Qatar. Prof Magidimisha-Chipungu is the chair of the organizing committee for the International Symposium on Inclusive Cities. She is Chief Editor of the Journal of Inclusive Cities and Built Environment. She continues serving on several boards locally and internationally with a focus on the built environment. Prof Magidimisha-Chipungu has won numerous excellent awards, including the Vice-Chancellor Research Award at UKZN. She is also recognized by The Planner Magazine (for the Royal Town Planning Institute) based in the UK as the most influential woman in 2021. She is currently co-PI in an inclusive city project with a focus on southern Africa countries such as South Africa, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, and Namibia. Prof Magidimisha-Chipungu record of service spans but not limited to the City Planning Commission for eThekwini Municipality, advisory committee of the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA-KZN), member of KwaZulu-Natal Tribunal and up to late a Council Member of the South African Council for Planners (SACPLAN).

In view of a long history excellence, she was recently appointed as the first SARChI Chair in Inclusive Cities in South Africa. The Chair is co-funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF) and South African Cities Network. The Chair is the first in the Built Environment Cluster at UKZN and it is focused at investigating issues around city inclusivity. Her research and publications record spans the authoring and co-authoring of a number of books, book chapters and peer-reviewed journal articles in both local and international publishing outlets. Recently she had co-edited a book on Urban Inclusivity with a focus on Southern Africa.

PPA Section
Education (Section 4(1)(d))

Employed at
University of the Witwatersrand (Wits)

Province
Gauteng

Prof. Mfaniseni Fana Sihlongonyane earned his B.A Hons and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (with Distinction) from the University of Swaziland, a Masters in Development Planning from Wits University and a doctorate from Oxford University. He joined Wits University in 1996. He has been the undergraduate convenor, the director of the Planning Programme twice (3 year terms) and a Postgraduate coordinator for the School of Architecture and Planning. He has serviced the university in numerous decision making committees including: University senate, Human Resource Committee, Campus Planning and Development Committee and is a Board member of the Gauteng City Region Observatory (GCRO). Prof Sihlongonyane also served as a member as well as the Alternative Chairperson of the South African Council of Planners (SACPLAN)(professional body) in 2008 to 2012 and 2013 to 2017 respectively. He was chairperson of the Scientific Committee for the 52nd Congress of ISOCARP which was held in Durban in 2016. He is the current chairperson of the Committee of Heads of Planning Schools in the country. He is invited as guest speaker in various national and international conferences.

Prof. Sihlongonyane publishes in high impact factor journals broadly in the discipline of development and urban studies. His current research is situated on the nexus between development planning, urban studies and cultural studies. His research interests spread over a wide range of theoretical, applied and policy arenas in the global as well as African realms of development. This involves exploring issues of Urbanism cultural globalization, Discourse structures, Cross-cultural communication, memory, identity and blackness. The pivot of his research lies in the exploration of the intersections between disciplines (e.g. geography and economics, histories of materiality (e.g. branding of Johannesburg), encounters between discursive approaches (globalisation and Africanisation). The metaphor of intersection here emphasises that, within a body/city, the relationships of component parts are not stable and fixed; rather, they can be displaced and replaced within and among other bodies. This exploration is useful for analysing social complexity by emphasizing fluidity, exchangeability, and multiple functionalities through entities and their connectivity.

Over the years, he has published in areas of land reform, planning, spatial development, urban politics, local economic development, community development, and African city. He has been Editor of the Commentary and Policy section of the South African Planning Journal (SAPJ) for five years and an Editorial board member to date. He is the Principal Investigator for the WITS-TUB Collaboration project between the university and the Technical University of Berlin, Germany which offers PhD and masters scholarships, and lecturer exchanges, that brought 450 000 Euros per year to the school over five years and it has been renewed for another 5 years (including the University of Lagos).

PPA Section
Community (Section 4(1)(e))

Employed at
South African Local Government Association (SALGA)

Province
KwaZulu-Natal

Ms Prashina Mohangi works as an Advisor in the Built Environment and Planning Business Unit at the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), in the province of KwaZulu Natal. She has an undergraduate degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of the Witwatersrand, a Master degree in Town and Regional Planning from the University of KwaZulu Natal and she is currently a Doctoral student at the Management College of South Africa (Mancosa). Ms Mohangi is also a registered Professional Planner and has extensive experience in local and provincial government.

She has worked for the City of Johannesburg, the Department of Provincial and Local Government, Gauteng Province, having also filled various roles at the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs in KZN before joining SALGA in 2016. At SALGA, Ms Mohangi is the creator and curator of the flagship SALGA Planning Law Conference, Municipal Think Tank, Municipal Investment Map, Municipal Investment Directory and the Municipal Transformation Tour. Her passion is people, place and local government and ensuring Planners have access to opportunities to broaden their knowledge and enhance their perception. In addition to this, she has a strong interest in performance management and accountability which is tied with strategic planning.

PPA Section
Community (Section 4(1)(e))

Employed at
Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs

Province
Limpopo

Mr Tshepo Albia Monakedi is a returning SACPLAN Council Member after serving a full term between 2017-2021. He is a Commonwealth Scholarship Alumni and recently returned to South Africa after undertaking one year PhD Fellowship at the University of Sheffield (UK), a qualification he is studying. In 2017, Tshepo completed his MA Governance, Development and Public Policy degree through Chevening Scholarship with the Institute of Development Studies which is based at the University of Sussex (UK). Mr Monakedi also holds three qualifications from the University of Witwatersrand, MSc Development Planning, BSc with Honours Urban and Regional Planning and BSc Urban and Regional Planning.

Currently he is employed by the Limpopo Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs as a Professional Town Planner. Mr Monakedi has also served the same department as a Deputy Manager: Integrated Development Planning. He believes in transformation and ethical leadership.

PPA Section
Private Practice (Section 4(1)(f))

Employed at
Dludla Development Planning Consultants

Province
Gauteng

Mr Prince Duke Dludla was born in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa on May 30, 1955. Mr Dludla was educated at the University of Zululand, qualified in Law in 1978, at the University of Cape Town he qualified in Master of City and Regional Planning in 1981, and at the University of Nottingham he qualified in Rural Development Planning and Site Planning in 1984.

Positions held include Chairman of Board of Cope, Chairman of the Gauteng Development Tribunal, Chairman of Board of Betrams Development, Director of Businesses, Director of Inner City, Housing Trust, Municipal Demarcation Board and Chair of Audit Committee, member and Trustee of various Trusts.

Mr Dludla is currently a Director of the company called Dludla Development Planning Consultancy. He has been in this position for the past 26 years.

Mr Dludla’s experience includes development planning, planning law, town planning, local government, development policies and strategies and general management, among others. He has worked in a number of organisations at middle and senior management levels. The organizations he has worked for include, Department of Justice, Windhoek Municipality, Department of Economic Affairs, Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), Directorate for Development Planning and The Urban Foundation. The work experience spans over 40 years.

Mr Dludla’s involvement, especially during the transition years (1990-1996) includes, demarcation of provincial boundaries, development of the Housing Policy, development of planning legislation, white paper and drafting of legislation on local government and serving on the first Board of the Municipal Demarcation Board as a member (1999-2003). Including demarcation of municipal boundaries of Democratic South Africa. As a Town Planner, Mr Dludla has experienced in general planning, policy development, writing of Town Planning Schemes and others.

PPA Section
Private Practice (Section 4(1)(f))

Employed at
Phemo Town Planning and Property Development Consultancy

Province
Gauteng

Ms Angela Mahopo is an accredited Professional Planner of the South African Council for Planners (SACPLAN) and a registered Town Planning Consultant of the South African Association of Consulting Professional Planners (SAACPP). She graduated with a post-graduate (Honours) degree in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand in 2008. In 2015 Ms Mahopo completed a Master’s Degree in Town and Regional Planning from the University of Pretoria, where she achieved a distinction for her Thesis and also became a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society. Ms Mahopo also holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of South Africa.

Her areas of experience includes spatial planning and land use management, development planning, local economic development, property development, planning law and urban design. Ms Mahopo has worked at ADA Urban Designs, SAB Breweries and the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. She has over 13 years of experience in town planning from both public and private sectors. It is based on her experience in the public sector and managing a private town planning company that she gained extensive experience in municipal and other public sector structures and operations and became well conversant with National, Provincial and Local government policies, legislation and strategies.

Ms Mahopo is a firm advocate of the application of authentic planning approaches and processes. She is an excellent team worker with good communication skills and leadership qualities. It is her professional ambition to make worthy contributions to the spatial, socio-economic and environmental transformation of cities, towns and rural area in South Africa and beyond. She founded Phemo Town Planning for the purposes of fulfilling her professional ambition to contribute to the transformation of our cities, towns and rural communities

PPA Section
Private Practice (Section 4(1)(f))

Employed at
Tshimologo Consulting

Province
Gauteng

Mrs Manako Matemane is a private Consultant and Professional Planner with 32 years’ experience. She grew up in Soweto and holds a BSc (Town and Regional Planning) from Wits University. Over the 32 years, she has gained a wealth of experience in Spatial Planning and Land Use Management in both the private and public sector.

Her private sector experience started in 1990 where she held several positions including Assistant Town Planner, Town Planner and later Company associate in the various companies including Pintoroux, Plan- it, Matingi & Associates. Her public sector career started in 1996 as a Town Planner, then Principal Planner at Johannesburg Metro after which she joined the Boksburg TLC in 1998 as Senior Town Planner. She later played a change management and implementation role in the transformation of Ekurhuleni Metro from 11 separate administrative units to one Metropolitan Municipality. Her first role was Chairperson and Team Leader of the Land Use Task Team, the interim body established to facilitate the transformation of the Development Planning function and formation of the first Land Use Management division of Ekurhuleni Metro.

Mrs Matemane later in 2003 became the Director of Land Use Management, tasked with managing the land use management function of the whole Metro which included the units of Land Surveying, Law Enforcement, Policy making and processing of development applications. The job also entailed the provision of technical and administrative support to the decision-making bodies’ viz. Tribunal, Portfolio Committee, and delegated items. She facilitated the establishment of the first metro wide Law Enforcement Unit and the first Metro wide Development Tribunal. Her role in the transformation of the Land Use Management function during the establishment of Ekurhuleni Metro earned her an award: “Women Achievers Award for outstanding contribution to the Metro’s transformation process”, in 2003.

In 2009, she joined the Development Bank of Southern Africa as a Project Manager as part of the “Senza Manje” program which was later transferred to COGTA under the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA). As a Project Manager and later as Technical Consultant at MISA, she was part of the Northwest multidisciplinary team comprising a wide range of engineering experts and Development Planners. Her main role was to provide technical support, advice, and capacity building in order to enhance service delivery at the municipalities identified as in need of intervention.

Throughout her tenure as a Technical Consultant at the national sphere of government, she supported various municipalities in the Northwest Province. In partnership with other government departments, she championed the introduction and implementation of SPLUMA in the NW municipalities thereby bringing positive changes to the MISA supported municipalities. The interventions undertaken include the establishment of planning units where none existed, putting in place application processing systems, development of system of delegations and tariffs, established SPLUMA based Municipal Planning Tribunals; support & technical advice on the development of SPLUMA based Land Use Schemes, SPLUM By Laws and Spatial Development Frameworks.

Mrs Matemane is currently serving as Director at Mokgope Consulting cc, Tshimologo Consulting Pty Ltd and Mintirho Management Consulting Pty Ltd. In this capacity she works on various projects that include EIAs on electrical substations and powerlines; Basic assessments, water use licenses, Environmental Control Officer (ECO) work, social impact assessments, relocation action plans, feasibility studies, Special Economic Zone, Spatial Development Frameworks and development applications that include township establishment, rezoning, subdivisions etc.

Mrs Matemane is a registered Professional Planner with the South African Council for Planners (SACPLAN), she is a member of SAPI and is also serving on the Council of SACPLAN. She loves reading and travelling to the countryside with family.