CEO Mninawe Pepi Silinga leaving Coega Development Corp

Silinga will be joining the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) on 1 October 2020, after being with the CDC for 22 years, since 1998.

The Coega Development Corporation (CDC) board has announced that it's Chief Executive Officer Mninawe (Pepi) Silinga, is leaving the organisation.

Silinga will be joining the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) on 1 October 2020, after being with the CDC for 22 years, since 1998.

“The 22-year relationship between the CDC and Transnet has been positive, and we believe that with Silinga at TNPA, this relationship will grow from strength to strength and propel the economic transformational agenda of the Eastern Cape province,” the CDC said on Thursday.

When Silinga joined the CDC in 1998 he was tasked with the enormous responsibility of establishing a leadership team that would develop and operate the then Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ).

“[This was] a challenge he grabbed and performed successfully. Subsequently, the team led by Pepi (as he is commonly known), saw the Coega IDZ being gazetted in the year 2000 under the Government Gazette No. 21803 of 1 December 2000, which was made in terms of the Manufacturing Development Act No. 187 of 1993.

“Under his tenure as CEO, the Coega Special Economic Zone (SEZ) was gazetted by the former Minister of the then Department of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, as per the Government Gazette No. 40883 on 2 June 2017, in terms of section 39(2) of the SEZ Act No. 16 of 2014,” the CDC said.

Together with his competent leadership team, Silinga implemented systems and processes that have ensured good corporate governance in the organisation.

During his tenure as CEO, the CDC received unqualified audit opinions by the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA).

“He provided stability in the organisation despite the changes in the leadership of the country and the province. Silinga’s team has focused on achieving the organisation’s key strategic goals, which include financial sustainability and growth, preferred investment destination, and advance socio-economic development.

“The CDC will remain indebted to Silinga for his unwavering dedication and diligent service to the organisation and to the millions of stakeholders who rely on the CDC for socio-economic transformation.

“We are pleased of what Silinga has accomplished on behalf of our investors, stakeholders and employees in the pursuit of transformation and meeting of the objectives of the CDC,” the CDC said.

The CDC will continue to be a progressively strong force in the socio-economic transformation and to bring about innovative ideas and create pioneering solutions for its investors and clients, alike, locally and in rest of the country where the organisation has operations.

“Despite the Board’s greatest of difficulty about the CEO’s imminent departure given the immense contribution that he made to the organisation over the past two decades, the organisation wishes to congratulate him on his achievements as the CDC’s Chief Executive officer,” the CDC said. 

(With Inputs from South African Government Press Release)