Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has appointed Thabi Nkosi as the nonexecutive chairperson of the Land and Agricultural Development Bank (Land Bank).

He also appointed Pamela Mondliwa as his special adviser on economic policy and Nokwanda Mahori as the Parliamentary liaison to the Ministry of Finance.

Nkosi, 35, is an agricultural economist, with diverse and extensive experience in agribusiness, agricultural policy-making and agribusiness operations.

She has worked in numerous positions in the field in the private and public sectors and currently serves as an independent nonexecutive trustee for the National Empowerment Fund, chairperson of Mintirho Foundation, which is the Coca-Cola Bottlers South Africa Agriculture Investment Fund, and as an advisory director for agritech company Khula.

As nonexecutive chairperson, Nkosi will lead the revival of the country's largest agriculture-focused lender. Her qualifications include an MBA, a postgraduate diploma in business administration and management, and an MSc and BSc (Agric) in Agricultural Economics.

Mondliwa, 35, is an experienced economist and academic. She has worked across consulting, academia and policy, including at the University of Johannesburg’s Centre for Competition, Regulation and Economic Development as a senior economist, as well as for the Berkeley Research Group and the Competition Commission.

She is a contributor and editor of a recently released volume of essays 'Structural Transformation in South Africa – The Challenges of Inclusive Industrial Development in a Middle-Income Country' published by Oxford University Press.

Mondliwa will provide expert guidance and analysis on the macroeconomy, industrial policy and competition law, besides other areas, to Godongwana. She obtained a BCom and Honours degree from Rhodes University before earning her Masters in Commerce from the University of Johannesburg.

Meanwhile, Mahori, 34, will serve as a liaison between the Ministry, Parliament and members of the public on Parliamentary-related matters. She brings a wealth of experience having worked at the intersection of politics, economics and public policy.

Her multidisciplinary skills are based on her work experience in various nonprofit and research organisations on a range of policy issues, such as financial inclusion, microfinance and labour issues.

Mahori also led market research for local and international companies and innovation hubs, before working as a coordinator for the African National Congress’s Economic Transformation Sub-Committee, with a focus on policy implementation, monitoring and evaluation. These skills put her in a position to enhance the work of the team in the Ministry.

She holds a BCom from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, a postgraduate diploma in business administration from University of South Africa and is currently a candidate for a Master’s degree in Management at the Wits School of Governance.

There is compelling evidence showing that the uneven playing field between women and men, in terms of employment, income and education, comes at a huge cost to the economy and broader society, Godongwana said in a statement issued on December 9.

“This is why, in addition to the moral imperative, we must not flinch away from the goal of achieving gender equity, especially when we have an abundance of young, highly qualified and skilled women eager to contribute to the betterment of the country through public service,” he added.