Board - Development Action Group

Board Members

Wilhelmina is an international gender activist and trade unionist. She has a resilient education background, with a particular interest in Community Adult Education, and currently works as an independent consultant to the labour movement

Wilhelmina Trout

DAG Chairperson

Bonke possesses a rich range breadth and depth of experience and an intimate knowledge and understanding of the Built Environment. Bonke has spent over 20 years in a variety of senior management and leadership roles as a committed, diligent and passionate Built Environment Practitioner who believes in authentic, intentional, and collaborative partnerships. Bonke currently serves as a Director at Alwyn Laubscher & Associates (AL&A), a consulting company specializing in Development Management, Project Management and Construction Project Management in the Built Environment. He is Vice-President of the South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions (SACPCMP) and a Council Member of Council for the Built Environment (CBE).

Bafikile Bonke Simelane

DAG Vice-Chairperson

Moegsien Hendricks is DAG’s Executive Director. His work at the organisation involves leading DAG strategically, managing DAG’s staff, finances and sustainability, and overseeing DAG’s public relations. During his impactful career in urban development he has managed the precedent-setting in-situ incremental upgrading of 20 pilot informal settlement units and has played a leading role in developing and revising organisational visions and theories of change. He holds an Honours degree in Development Planning and a BTech in Town and Regional Planning. Moegsien is deeply passionate about facilitating collaborative processes between diverse stakeholders that lead to the development of comprehensive people-centered solutions to urban development challenges.

Moegsien Hendricks

Executive Director

Rugaya is a chartered accountant with more than 15+ years’ experience in public practice. She is the managing director at Verryn & Co Inc., an accounting and auditing firm in the southern suburbs. She is a registered member of SAICA and IRBA.

Rogaya Edwards

DAG Treasurer

Tasleema has expertise in the fields of Architectural Education and the Built Environment and has a special interest in Earth Architecture. She is currently lecturing at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT).

Tasleema Mohamed

Board Member

Qureisha is the local consultant for the Dreikonigsaktion, an Austrian donor organisation. She is responsible for the organisation’s projects in South Africa and joint partnerships in Africa. She also works as an independent facilitator and consultant. She has a background in social development, organisational development and the NGO sector.

Qureisha Nagdee

consultant

Over his 30 year legal career, Steven spent many years representing clients who faced an oppressive apartheid state while serving as a litigation lawyer and Director at the Legal Resources Centre. Post-1994 he litigated on behalf of the LRC's clients in cases that centered on socio-economic rights, with a particular focus on the right to access housing. His legal expertise was recognised when he was appointed as an acting judge of the Land Claims Court in 2012. The communities that he represented as a lawyer have regularly praised his commitment, integrity, honesty and determination to realise their constitutional rights. Subsequent to his retirement at the LRC he was appointed to the Rental Housing Tribunal where he currently serves as vice chairperson.

Steven Kahanovitz

Legal Resources

Having joined DAG as a finance person, I’ve found the switch to project work fulfilling. I learn a lot on a daily basis from every “Daggie”, from our community partners and from other stakeholders

We Rise By Lifting Others.” Working At DAG Provides A Platform To Create A Positive Change In The Lives Of Disadvantaged Communities.

I Am Yet To See A Better Balance Of Work Than What DAG Does. It Is Inspiring To Be Part Of This Huge Organization Which I Have Always Admired From Afar. Now I Am Also Part Of This Space, Building Relationships And Gaining Skills I Have Never Begun To Think I Would.

I Enjoy Being Part Of An Organisation That Not Only Influences Policies, But Also Remains Rooted At The Grassroots Level.

Working At DAG Means I Can Contribute Toward The Systemic Change We Need To Create More Equitable Cities.

I Am Blessed To Be Able To Fulfill My Purpose And Live My Passion On A Daily Basis. DAG Enables Me To Earn A Living While Doing So!

DAG’s Innovative Work On Inclusive Cities, The Passion And Dedication Of The DAG Team, And Our Dynamic Community Partners Inspire Me Daily To Work In Service.

Working For DAG Has Me Experience Working For A Purpose And Making A Difference.

I Enjoy Working For DAG Because It’s An Organization That Offers A Wide Variety Of Opportunities, Ranging From Building Relationships With Key Decision-Makers, To Engaging And Co-Creating Collaborative Strategies With Historically Marginalized Communities.

DAG’s “People-Centred Approach” Is What Drives Me On A Daily Basis. This Links To The Alignment Of DAG’s Collaborative And Participatory Approaches With My Personal Values And That Of My Colleagues.

Umuntu Ngu Muntu Ngabantu – I Am Because We Are. DAG’s Values And Approach To Development Allow Me To Live Out This Motto.

Working At DAG Has Exposed Me To The Harsh Realities On The Ground And Has Made Me Rethink And Realise The Importance Of My Role As A Built Environment Professional In Creating A Country That Is Spatially Just.

Working For DAG Empowers Me To Make An Impact In The Communities I Work And Live In.

DAG Is Not Just A Workplace. It’s A Home Away From Home Because Of Its Conducive Working Environment, With Brilliant Minds In The Organisation That Are Guided DAG’s Principles.

I Enjoy Working At DAG Because Of Its Values, Broad Stakeholder Connection And Zeal To Drive Developmental Action That Empowers Communities.

There Is Lots Of Room For Growth At DAG, Both Professionally And Personally.

Maya Angelou Said, “If You Don’t Like Something Change It. If You Can’t Change It, Change Your Attitude.” I Cannot Imagine Living In A World Like Ours And Not Do Anything To Try And Change It For The Better. This Is One Of The Reasons Why I Value The Work We Do At DAG. We Are Pooling Our Collective Efforts To Build A Better Tomorrow For Everyone.

I Feel That DAG Is An Important Role-Player In The Realisation Of Citizens’ Constitutional Rights To Access Land And Housing Opportunities.

DAG Is All About Developing For The Better – Not Just Developing Our Cities, But Also Developing Oneself – To Help Build A Better Society.

Making A Positive Contribution To The Urban Policy Making Processes And The Overall Development Practice In Our Society Is A Cause That I Am Most Passionate About And One Of The Reasons Why I Enjoy Working At DAG.

Working For DAG Makes Me Feel Like I Am Upholding The Constitutional Mandate Of Bettering The Lives Of Previously Disempowered Citizens.

I Love Working At DAG Because Of The Organisation’s Vision And Mission, Which Focuses On Supporting And Implementing Community Housing Projects And Development While Also Building People’s Skills.

I Am Passionate About Community Organising And DAG Gives Me The Platform To Do What I Love. Organising Is In My Blood, And It Runs Through My Veins. Working As An Organiser Is Hard Because You Must Be The Eyes And Ears Of The Communities You Work With.