Our Personnel and Trustees


PPT has a core staff complement of ten but in additional makes extensive use of outsourced service providers and partner organizations in order to service the multiplicity of projects in which it is involved at any point in time.

All of PPT’s core staff, with the exception of Liesel du Plessis, are based at PPT’s Durban office. Liesel is based in the Eastern Cape (Port Elizabeth).

Mark Misselhorn

Chief Executive Officer

Inba Govender

Finance & Office Manager

Nana Ndlovu

Project Manager & Senior Facilitator

Liesel du Plessis

Programme Manager (ECD & Special Needs)

Angel Ngcobo

Office Assistant

Lusito Khumalo

IESP Programme Manager

Sthembile Mbambo

IESP Enterprise Specialist

Celiwe Nsibande

IESP Enterprise Specialist

Brian Dlamini

IESP Enterprise Specialist

Gugu Ngcobo

IESP Enterprise Specialist

Menzi Masikane

Data support (IESP & Upgrading)

Robert Mann

Associate (Upgrading & Infrastructure)

 
 
 

Board:


PPT currently has a Board of eight Trustees with diverse and extensive expertise in various fields. Most of these Trustees have served on PPT’s Board for extended periods and several since PPT’s establishment years. Four Board meetings are held per annum. The Finance and Operation Committees of PPT’s Board meet approximately six times a year, with two additional joint meetings of these Committees principally to discuss strategic issues.

Current Trustees:


Thokozane Zulu is the Co-Chair of the PPT Board and is a founding trustee. He has been a Trustee since 1993. He has extensive experience in human resource management and is currently in private practice and has been involved in community development projects in Southern Pinetown.

Ilan Lax is Co-chair of the PPT Board, serves on its Finance Committee and is a past Treasurer (2008 to 2020). He has been a Trustee since 1993. He is an attorney in private practice. He has experience in development, environmental, governance and human rights issues in both the rural and urban contexts. He serves on the boards of a number of statutory and non-governmental organizations. He was a member of the Human Rights Violations and Amnesty Committees of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission and has served as policy advisor to the Sierra Leone TRC.

Nkosinathi Ndelu is the chair of PPT’s Operations Committee and is a past Co-Chair (19943-2006). He has been a Trustee since 1994. He is a former Deputy Municipal Manager for Ugu District Municipality and is a previous Executive Finance Manager of the Africa Mayibuye Leadership (Pty) Ltd a consultancy involved in assisting local government and other organizations in leadership development and management skills. He has past associations with numerous community development initiatives including the International Rotary, Cato Manor Development Association, Durban Functional Region – Interim Development Forum, and the Community Based Public Works Programme.

Nica Gevers is PPT’s Treasurer and serves on PPT’s Finance Committee. She has been a Trustee since 2014. She is a registered Chartered Accountant. She has over 30 years’ experience in senior executive and management positions in both the public and private sectors. She was the Chief Financial Officer of Umgeni Water for 10 years until September 2013. She currently serves on various audit and finance committees and also serves as a non-executive board and audit committee member of Umhlathuze Water.

Peter Robinson is serves on PPT’s Operations Committee and is a founding trustee. He is a past Co-Chair (2007 to 2020). He has been a Trustee since 1993. He is an Urban and Regional Planner, working in private practice and was Head of the Planning Programme in the School of Architecture, Planning & Housing at the University of KwaZulu-Natal until 2009. He has extensive experience in urban and rural development issues. He was one of the founders of the Cato Manor urban reconstruction project and was chair of the Board of the Cato Manor Development Association for many years.

S’bongile Mthembu serves on PPT’s Operations Committee and is a past Co-Chair (2007 to 2017). She has been a Trustee since 2003. She is the founder member of Iphungelimnandi Development Services, a company that specializes in the management of community based development programmes, social development facilitation and capacity building and training. She holds an MSC Degree in Regional Planning and Housing with over 25 years of experience in community and rural development.

Nonhlanhla Khumalo serves on PPT’s Operations Committee. She has been a Trustee since 2011. She is a Regional General Manager for the Independent Development Trust (IDT) in KwaZulu Natal. The IDT is a development management agency focusing on poverty alleviation in South Africa. She holds a BA Honours in Social Work and has been involved in community and rural development for the past 28 years.

Zilungile Mbatha is a new PPT Trustee who in the process of being legally assumed via the office of the Master of the High Court. She currently participates in PPT’s Operations Committee. Zilungile holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Development Studies. She is a lecturer in the Department of Community Development at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, with a specific focus in Local Government and Community Development, and Migration and Community Development. She replaces Phumelele Kunene who has resigned from the PPT Board after a valued period of service and is in the process of being legally removed as a Trustee via the office of the Master of the High Court. Administrative difficulties at the Master’s office have resulted in extensive delays to these changes.

Past Trustees:


Michael Sutcliffe (founding Trustee & past Co-chair); Vish Suparsad; Leah Gcabashe; Leonard Mfeka; Michael Archer; Sibusiso Luthuli; Makenete Maduna; Omar Latiff; Dave Smyly; Imtiaz Vally; Phumelele Kunene.

Internship Programme:


PPT runs a small internship program. Past interns include: Nokuthula Mlambo (thereafter a PPT Project Officer), Sbusiso Ngobese, Busisiwe Buthelezi, Nkosinjani Mkhize, Pragasan Govender, Neville Mlobane , Julian Barker, Langalethu Mthembu, Lydia Mulibana, Andile Shange, Nqabenhle Hadebe, Sinethemba mthimkhulu and Bukeka Guda. PPT is also periodically involved in a mentorship programme for visiting students from other countries.