Profile: An economist, and a public administrator

TSHEDISO Matona is the Secretary of National Planning and Acting Director-General (DG) of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation in the South African Government.

He was the chief executive of the power utility Eskom from October 2014 until May 2015. He also served as the DG of the Department of Public Enterprises since January 2011 and prior to that he was DG of the Department of Trade and Industry from 2006 to December 2010.

An economist by training and an experienced public administrator, he held several senior positions in government throughout his career, and also served as a trade diplomat at the UN in New York and World Trade Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland, from 1996 to 1998.

In his current role he provides technical and administrative support to South Africa’s National Planning Commission, as well as strategic leadership of a multi-disciplinary team of professionals in the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation.

He has more than 20 years of senior management experience and skills in the fields of international trade and diplomacy, export promotion, investment promotion, industrial development, enterprise development, economic regulation and corporate governance.

He holds Bachelor & Honours Degrees in Economics and Politics from the University of Cape Town, a Masters in Development Economics from the University of East Anglia (UK), various certificates, including an Executive Management certificate, as well as a certificate in Infrastructure Development from Harvard University’s J F Kennedy School of Government.