New Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Faces Major Challenges in South Africa

Dean Macpherson, a 39-year-old Democratic Alliance Member of Parliament from eThekwini and the party’s chairperson in KwaZulu-Natal, has been appointed as the new Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure in South Africa.

Tasked with overseeing the management of the government’s 88,000 buildings and 4.7 million hectares of land, Macpherson steps into the role at a crucial time when major infrastructure backlogs running into billions of rand have plagued the country.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the appointment of Macpherson as one of the six DA ministers in the new government of national unity Cabinet.

One of the critical issues Macpherson will have to address is the lack of maintenance at the government’s vast portfolio of buildings across the country.

With a history of political instability within the ministry, Macpherson faces the challenge of ensuring effective management and maintenance of the extensive government assets under his purview.

In addition to the day-to-day management of thousands of government buildings, Macpherson will also have to navigate the contentious issue of expropriation without compensation, a highly debated topic in South Africa’s political landscape.