Prof Benno Ndulu

Former professor at the University of Dar es Salaam and governor of the Bank of Tanzania from 2008 to 2018, Ndulu is credited with reviving Tanzania’s economy with reforms aimed at inclusive growth. According to a Reuters interview, he advocated lower current account deficits and fiscal and debt discipline. His reforms were to licence more commercial banks in Tanzania and allow mobile financial services and the establishment of credit bureaus.

Prof Mzukisi Qobo

A lecturer in international business at the University of the Witwatersrand, Qobo has published various papers on international business, as well as research on the mining and resources sectors.

On the homepage of his own website is some ready advice for the president: “Government needs to keep the momentum by demonstrating more decisiveness in reforming the economy, in eliminating wastage in government, in cutting red tape and in rebuilding institutions that are damaged.”

Prof Dani Rodrik

Rodrik is professor of international political economy at Harvard University and has published several articles on international trade and industrial development. A lot of his papers deal with the effects of opening economies for global trade. One is titled “What constitutes good economic policy and why some governments are more successful than others”.

Prof Mariana Mazzucato

A professor at the University College London, Mazzucato has won several awards, including a prize for Advancing the Frontiers of Economic Thought. Much of her work is focused on new approaches to capitalism, apparently following her belief that capitalism is in crisis and does not work.

Mamello MatikincaNgwenya

One of only a few economists on the panel who hails from the business world, Matikinca-Ngwenya worked at the Bureau for Economic Research before joining Rand Merchant Bank. She was appointed chief economist at FNB at the age of 29. Her analysis of the 2019 budget speech concluded that “at some point the government is going to have to rein in the public wage bill and make these departments more productive”. She is also outspoken on the need to build investor confidence in SA, saying the biggest risk is the outflow of foreign investment.

Dr Renosi Mokate

Mokate’s service as former deputy governor of the Reserve Bank and consultant to the ministry of finance and to Treasury is important as a member of the new council. She is also listed as chairperson of the board of trustees of the Government Employees Pension Fund.

Dr Kenneth Creamer

Another noted academic (from the University of the Witwatersrand), Creamer has published a lot of papers on fiscal policy, monetary policy, macroeconomics, competition policy and labour market policy. He is also a director of Creamer Media.

Prof Alan Hirsch

Hirsch knows the way from his office at the University of Cape Town to the president’s office quite well, having served as member and chief economist of earlier advisory boards at the Presidency from 2002 to 2012. Besides a long list of positions and academic publications, he is also a member of a not-for-profit economic research outfit based in Pretoria – Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies, which facilitates research, projects and seminars, and maintains a big economic database.

Prof Tania Ajam

The Presidency describes Ajam as an expert on fiscal policy and public financial management, which she lectures on at the University of Stellenbosch. Hopefully, the decision-makers will take her views, such as “a highly politicised bureaucracy staffed by underqualified, inexperienced, but politically connected incompetents also invariably compromises the state’s ability to deliver on its democratic mandate” to heart.

Dr Grove Steyn

It’s not difficult to predict what Steyn will tell the president and his fellow council members. Simply, to fix Eskom. He is a member of private consultancy Meridian Economics, most of whose work has centred on Eskom, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa, power tariffs, electricity supply, Eskom’s financial health, the effect of electricity supply on economic development, as well as the options for restructuring Eskom for sustainability.

Wandile Sihlobo

Sihlobo will be the voice of the very important agricultural sector. The Presidency notes that he is head of agribusiness research at the Agricultural Business Chamber of SA, but neglects to mention his stint as economist at Grain SA or his website, Agricultural Economics Today. He has advised Ramaphosa before, as a member of the panel on land reform.

Dr Liberty Mncube

Mncube, former chief economist at the Competition Commission, is a lecturer in economics at the University of the Witwatersrand. He is also listed as managing director of FTI Consulting, an independent advisory and economic advisory firm. Its website creates the impression that it produces bespoke research reports for clients and uses the research to testify in court cases where economic opinion is needed.

Prof Fiona Tregenna

Tregenna’s academic qualifications are astounding, including postgraduate degrees from Cambridge and Massachusetts. She lectures on economics and econometrics at the University of Johannesburg. Her published papers cover aspects of industrialisation and deindustrialisation in developing economies. One of her main points is that developing countries should not deindustrialise – move from a manufacturing economy too early.

Prof Haroon Bhorat

Bhorat, from the University of Cape Town, has built expertise in labour economics, researching the effect of a minimum wage, poverty, income equality and the distribution of wealth in SA. One of his papers covers aspects of higher education, employment and economic growth.

Ayabonga Cawe

The Presidency introduced Cawe as a “development economist engaged as a public intellectual”. He served on the recent Nedlac and presidential advisory panel to set a national minimum wage. Cawe is also an ambassador of nonprofit Wellbeing Economy Alliance.

Prof Vusi Gumede

In addition to his post as professor at the Unisa, Gumede has authored several books and started Gumede Academy & Research, described as an intellectual project and professional network. He also contributed to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development.

Dr Thabi Leoka

Leoka started her career at Investec Asset Management, working in SA and London. She recently served on the commission of inquiry into the shenanigans at the Public Investment Corporation, as well as the finance minister’s panel that reviewed the value-added tax status of basic products.

Prof Imraan Valodia

Valodia is an economist and dean of the faculty of commerce, law and management at the University of the Witwatersrand. He is an expert on the informal economy. He has written papers on inequality, competition policy, industrial development, employment in developing countries and the informal sector.