Board member

Rob Wesselo joined TUHF’s Board as a non-executive director in April 2023. An Admitted Attorney, Rob has extensive experience in construction, banking and property finance. He has previously sat on the Boards of Group Five Building and Pangbourne Property Fund, bringing valuable know-how to TUHF’s Board.

Rob has been the Managing Director at International Housing Solutions since September 2010. This role sees him adding fund management experience specific to affordable housing and residential property across South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa to TUHF’s Board. In addition, Rob has developed and managed affordable rental housing units at scale, successfully listed the first Residential Fund on the JSE and has engaged with international DFIs on affordable and social housing efforts in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Palesa Kadi holds a Masters and BA (Hons) in Political Studies and Comparative Economics from UWC, Post Graduate Diploma in Management, Wits and is currently completing her PhD  with Research Chair in Critical Architecture and Urbanism at the University of Pretoria. She also holds academic qualifications in Ethics, Technology Governance, and Digital Disruption Strategies, amongst others.

Palesa has held Director and Executive positions at a number of public sector entities, including Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, the National Department of Tourism and ICASA. She serves in various boards and Trusts including National Housing Finance Corporation, South African Broadcasting Corporation,  Karoshoek Solar Community Trust and Cricket South Africa. Her expertise in public policy development, corporate governance and risk management, strategic business planning and corporate communications are a valuable addition to TUHF’s Board make-up.

BA (Hons) in Sociology, MSc in Town and Regional Planning, Diploma in Financial Instruments, Executive Development Programme (run jointly by the University of the Witwatersrand and Harvard Business School) 

Appointed to the board: 18 January 1993

Jill Strelitz is currently the executive director for the New Housing Company, a non-profit, public benefit organisation. Jill has been involved in housing since 1980 when she joined the Urban Foundation, a private-sector non-profit organisation. At the time of closure of the Urban Foundation in 1994, she was the executive director for housing on the board. During this time, Jill was honoured to receive the National Housing Person of the Year Award in 1994.

Following her time at the Urban Foundation, Jill became a senior manager in Special Projects at Anglo-American Property Services. She later joined the National Urban Reconstruction and Housing Agency as the executive director responsible for operations and, later, business development. She also holds a non-executive director position on the board of the Johannesburg Housing Company.

BCom (Unisa), Programme for Management Development (Harvard Business School)

Appointed to the board: 21 May 2003

Samson Moraba is the chief executive officer of the National Housing Finance Corporation (NHFC) and has served as a member of the licensing committee of the Financial Services Board since 2004. He currently serves on numerous boards, including the Cape Town Community Housing Company and Community Property Holdings Limited.

Samson was previously an executive director: IT at Standard Corporate Merchant Bank (SCMB), where he also served as a member of the business prioritisation committee. Samson has also served as a senior consultant at Gemini Consulting and manager within the Corporate Finance Division of JCI.

Furthermore, from 2004 to 2007, he served as the chairman of the African Union for Housing Finance and was on the standing committee for the revision of the 1990s Bank Act at the South African Reserve Bank.

CA(SA)

Appointed to the board: 1 August 2009

Robert Emslie has more than 30 years’ experience in the financial services sector and has held positions as the head of Absa Business Banking, Absa Africa and Absa Corporate and Business Bank. He was also a member of the Absa Group EXCO and during his time at Absa he was a board member of the following listed companies: Paramount, Ambit and Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe.

Robert retired from his career in the banking industry in 2008 and currently serves on the boards of several unlisted and listed companies including SilverBridge Holdings Limited, Finbond Group Limited and New Europe Property Investments plc.

BCom (University College – Durban), Housing Finance Course (Wharton Real Estate Centre, University of Pennsylvania) effective directors programme (Kagiso School of Leadership)

Appointed to the board: 18 January 1993

Cas Coovadia is the managing director of The Banking Association of South Africa and the deputy chairman of the African Union for Housing Finance. Additionally, Cas is the chairman for the National Business Initiative, president of the International Union for Housing Finance and chairperson of the National Business Initiative. He also serves as a member of council at the University of Witwatersrand.

He has played a central role in the negotiations leading to the signing of the Financial Services Charter (FSC) and is playing a critical role in the implementation of agreements reached in the charter.

Cas also serves on the board of the Centre for Development and Enterprise, Nepad Business Foundation, as well as serving on the management committee of Business Unity South Africa.

BPhil in African Studies, MSc in Building Science (University of the Witwatersrand)

Appointed to the board: 17 May 2013

Taffy Adler is the director of the University of the Witwatersrand’s Re-Imagining Wits Property Project. He was CEO of the Housing Development Agency, a national government parastatal from the agency’s inception in 2009 to May 2015. He is also the chairman of Indluplace Properties and a director of Arrowhead Properties, both listed property companies, and chairman of the Apexhi and Arrowhead Charitable Trusts. He sits on the board of Makhulong a Matala, the tenant development arm of the Johannesburg Housing Company.

From 1976 to 1986, Taffy was a full-time official in the non-racial trade union movement. In 1987 he became coordinator of the Labour and Economic Research Centre, and in 1991, became the founding CEO of the Land Investment Trust.

Taffy has held directorships in at least 20 development-orientated companies over the last 10 years. He has held several appointments, including joint convener of the National Technical Committee of Housing Subsidies, which developed the first housing subsidy scheme for a newly democratic South Africa, membership of the World Economic Forum’s Global Council on Urban Management, and, from 1994 to 2009, as adviser to the National Minister of Housing.

In 1999, Taffy was named Gauteng Housing Person of the Year by the SA Housing Institute and in 2007 he was named South African Social Entrepreneur of the Year. He is also a Fellow of the Schwab Foundation. He has lectured at the Universities of the Witwatersrand and Cape Town, and has either written or edited 19 journal articles and books.