“Only those who risk going too far will ever know how far they can go,” says newly appointed Johannesburg Development Agency CEO Mokgema Mongane, who plans to make work of fine-tuning and optimising the delivery of infrastructure and development projects more efficiently. The appointment of any new CEO presents the opportunity for an organisation to revisit and revive its vision, mission and outputs. This speaks directly to Mongane’s goal of ensuring that Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) continues to manage and facilitate infrastructure developments innovatively to build an equitable, sustainable and resilient city.
He says the JDA’s service offering is around delivering infrastructure and development projects on behalf of its clients and there are various delays in this process. “In this regard, the low-hanging fruits I would like to focus on includes finding ways to resolve and provide fast-track solutions to delivery.”
He also plans to bring a balanced concussion of skills, experience, insights and expertise, particularly in business management, strategy formulation and execution, as well as infrastructure planning and development.
“In essence I plan to focus on three key areas: revenue enhancement and financial stability, operational efficiency and capacity creation, thus strengthening the business to a sustainable state,” he notes.
Mongane spent most of his childhood (from about 10 years) in a boarding school, at St Barnabas College (Randburg, Johannesburg) and only visited his family during school holidays.
“So, I am in truth a boarding school child. And these are the years that truly defined me. Quintessentially, as a leader I see myself as a point in the centre of a circle instead of a point at the top of a hierarchy. I strongly believe in equal opportunity and working together to achieve a common goal.”
Before joining JDA, Mongane worked as the General Manager of Capital Development and Assurance at Transnet and was the COO at the Council for the Built Environment.
He holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Regenesys, another Master’s in Engineering Management from the University of Pretoria and a Bachelor of Science (honours) in Civil Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand.
When Mongane is not working, he spends much of his spare time analysing the order that exist within perceived chaos and conducting schematic analysis of simple tendencies. He finds great delight in creating the new i.e. writing code, creating art and compiling poetry.
“I find delight in seeing yesterday’s dreams become today’s reality.”
Written by Sascha-Lee Joseph
17/03/2023