Who We Are
The Planact Team
Our Board of Directors
The Board of Directors are responsible for providing overall strategic direction and policy approval, financial oversight and accountability, organisational sustainability and networking and currently consists of the following Directors:
Mr Seana Nkhahle
Mr Nkhahle is the Portfolio Head: Built Environment, South African Local Government Association (SALGA). He is the Chairperson of the Board of Directors at Planact.
Professor Steven Friedman
Professor Friedman is the Director of the Centre for the Study of Democracy, joint initiative of the University of Johannesburg and Rhodes University.
Professor Marie Huchzermeyer
Professor Huchzemeyer is a public intellectual at the School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand with extensive research on informal settlements and urban policies.
Ms Jackie Sejenamane
Ms Sejenamane is a local governance and spatial planning consultant.
Associate Professor Geci Karuri-Sebina
Associate Professor Karuri-Sebina is responsible for Digital Governance at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Mr Michael Kihato
Mr Kihato is a practitioner on urban law.
Our Team Members
Working for Planact offers a unique and fulfilling opportunity to make an enduring contribution to urban development in South Africa. Planact currently has a staff component of sixteen employees, with eight staff members directly engaged in programme work and two staff members employed in administrative capacities. The organisation is hosting five interns for the purpose of contributing to their career development. Planact community encompasses partners and former employees, most of whom hold important positions in reputable institutions.
Executive Director
The Executive Director’s office is responsible for the effective and efficient operations of the organisation, while adhering to all the statutory requirements and the set organisational goals. This unit is made up of the Executive Director and the Operations Manager. It co-opts the Finance Manager when dealing with everyday management issues.
Frederick Kusambiza Kiingi
Executive Director
Tamzin
Operations Manager
Frederick Kusambiza Kiingi
Executive Director
Fred Kusambiza – Kiingi is the Executive Director at Planact and joined in January 2013. Prior to this appointment, he held employment in a non-governmental organization, an architectural consulting firm and a property development firm.
He is an urban development planner with experience from the non-governmental (public) sector and private sector. He has undertaken assignments in various aspects of project planning, designing and development, in the urban and peri-urban forms. The assignments have dealt with: – developing inclusive urban economies, local governance development processes, alternative settlement development, architectural designing and management, as well as organizational development.
Specifically, he has worked on designing frameworks on concepts and models that have enabled citizens’ engagement with government institutions in local development processes, particularly in urban areas, to improve vulnerable citizens’ living conditions. He has led negotiations with four metropolitan municipalities in South Africa, in planning and designing pathways leading to incremental improvement of informal settlements mostly for vulnerable citizens living in urban areas. He has advised municipalities on alternative energy efficiency models for low cost-housing. Fred holds senior degrees in housing development and business administration.
Tamzin
Operations Manager
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Mike Makwela
Senior Programme Coordinator
Mike joined Planact in March 1999. He is responsible for planning, implementation and monitoring of programmes. He leads the team that is responsible for community relations. Mike is enrolled in part-time studies in Housing Masters at the University of the Witwatersrand. He is an accredited Trainer/Facilitator and Assessor. He has a diploma in Informal Settlement Upgrading obtained from the Institute for Housing Studies at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam. He also has a Certificate in Housing Policy Development and Management with Wits University. He has worked as a trainer in the local government field and been involved in the organisation’s major programmes including conduction training on governance. He has extensive experience liaising with government representatives and community leaders. Previously Mike worked for COPE Housing Association, an NGO involved in Social Housing as a project officer.
Shumani Luruli
Programme Coordinator
Siphiwe Segodi
Programme Coordinator
Siphiwe joined Planact in January 2018 as a Programme Coordinator. He is responsible for planning, implementation and monitoring of programmes.
Siphiwe has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Policy Studies and is currently pursuing BA Honours degree in International Politics with the University of South Africa. He has received training on ethical and accountable governance from Freedom House.
He has project management skills and 10 years of experience in community initiatives support work, including defending and promoting human rights. He is member of the Thembelihle Crisis committee – a community based organisation – since 2001.
Previously, Siphiwe worked as Project Officer for the Freedom of Expression Institute with the primary focus on coordinating a national grassroots Freedom of Expression Network advancing various struggles and projects.
Chelesile Ndlovu-Nachamba
Information and Resource Coordinator
Chelesile joined Planact in April 2016. She is responsible for coordinating communication and resources, branding and stakeholder engagement as well as advocacy campaigns for Planact’s programmes.
Chelesile is currently pursuing Master of Laws Degree in Law, State and Multilevel Government with the Dullah Omar Institute at the University of the Western Cape. She recently completed her Post Graduate Diploma in Public Law (Local Government) with the same university. She also holds a BSc Honours degree in Journalism and Media studies. She has a certificate in Development Communication from the University of the Witwatersrand as well as social media management and stakeholder engagement.
Her key function includes crafting advocacy campaigns, content creation, brand management, publications, stakeholder relations and media liaison.
Previously, Chelesile has worked for non-profit organisations focused on developing high level skills for biodiversity in South Africa and another promoting democracy, governance and human rights, as Communications Officer.
Wetu Memela
Programme Coordinator
Wetu provides assistance in programme coordination and is involved in project components that the organisation implements.
Wetu has completed her Bachelor of Science, as well as, an Honours Degree in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Witwatersrand. She is currently completing her Masters in Development Planning from the same university. She is passionate about development issues and eager to gain the experience and knowledge in order to register as a professional planner.
Bafana Tshabalala
Assistant Programme Coordinator
Bafana joined Planact in June 2019 on an internship programme. He provides support to programme coordinators, communication and resources.
Bafana has completed his National Diploma in Public Relations and Communications at the University of Johannesburg. He is currently completing his online certificate course on Street Addressing and the Management of Cities with the World Bank Group – Open Learning Campus.
Bafana is passionate about learning new things which will contribute to his experience in the Civil Society Sector and also bring change in the lives of people living in unproclaimed areas.
Hlengiwe Mbambo
Assistant Programme Coordinator
Hlengiwe joined Planact in February 2022 on an internship programme. She is responsible for assisting with intermediate planning, implementation, and monitoring of programmes including evidence-generation.
Hlengiwe has obtained a Bachelor of Science Honors in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Hlengiwe has a student mentality and is always eager to learn and improve her professionalism and capacity.
Nonjabulo Magubane
Intern
Nonjabulo joined Planact in February 2023 on an internship programme.
Nonjabulo has completed her Bachelor of Science, as well as, an Honours Degree in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Witwatersrand. She also hold a National Diploma in Land Surveying (Geomatics) which she completed at Tshwane University of Technology. She is passionate about development issues and eager to gain the experience and knowledge in order to register as a professional planner.
Linda Zondi
SEF Payroll Officer
Nonjabulo joined Planact in February 2023 on an internship programme.
Nonjabulo has completed her Bachelor of Science, as well as, an Honours Degree in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Witwatersrand. She also hold a National Diploma in Land Surveying (Geomatics) which she completed at Tshwane University of Technology. She is passionate about development issues and eager to gain the experience and knowledge in order to register as a professional planner.
Spiro Paxinos
Financial Manager
Spiro joined Planact in 2003.
Spiro is responsible for the overall financial management of the organisation. He is also responsible for organisational administration and policy matters. He provides essential support for developing and monitoring
He holds a Bachelor of Social Science degree from the University of Cape Town and a Diploma in Bookkeeping. He has 20 years of experience in accounting and financial management which includes commercial and micro-lending experience.
Tshidi Morotolo
Office Administrator
Tshidi joined Planact in 1995.
Tshidi is responsible for providing day to day administrative support, including financial monitoring, human resource administration, equipment resource allocation, information and communication systems, logistics and travel arrangements, record keeping and secretarial support for meetings. She holds a Diploma in Basic Bookkeeping and Pastel Accounting.
Programme Staff Members
Mike Makwela
Senior Programme Coordinator
Shumani Luruli
Programme Coordinator
Siphiwe Segodi
Programme Coordinator
Chelesile Ndlovu-Nachamba
Information & Resource Coordinator
Wetu Memela
Programme Coordinator
Bafana Tshabalala
Assistant Programme Coordinator
Hlengiwe Mbambo
Assistant Programme Coordinator
Nonjabulo Magubane
Intern
Administrative Staff Members
The administration unit provides support to the entire organisation and links Planact to the external stakeholders. It is made up of two staff members.
Spiro Paxinos
Financial Manager
Tshidi Morotolo
Office Administrator