Commenting on the appointment, Mr Mohau Mphomela, Chairperson of the BICMA Board of Trustees, thanked Bernard le Roux for his outstanding contribution, not only to BCIMA, which he led for more than 20 years, but also to the greater healthcare industry.  

“We are delighted with the appointment of Ms Makatini, who is a dynamic and seasoned businesswoman and entrepreneur with some 12 years combined experience within the healthcare, financial services, consulting and technology sectors,” added Mr Mphomela.

“Having held a number of executive and senior management roles in government relations, business development, strategy and entrepreneurship within a number of leading South African companies, we believe Ms Makatini is well placed to lead BCIMA into a new era of growth and development.” 

Ms Makatini has garnered impressive experience with a number of blue chip companies such as Absa and Edcon Financial Services. Other career highlights prior to joining BCIMA include executive positions held at Metropolitan Health Group and Union Life.  

The 37-year-old holds a Masters of Management in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation from the University of the Witwatersrand Business School, an honours degree in Politics from the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and a BA in Communication Science from the University of South Africa (UNISA). She is currently enrolled at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School for a Postgraduate Diploma in Strategy and Innovation. She has a strong passion for education and is also a visiting lecturer at Wits Business School.

Ms Makatini currently serves as an Independent Director on the Gauteng Cricket Board, as well as an Independent Non-executive Director at Sakhiwo, a fuel distribution subsidiary of Thebe Investment Corporation consisting of Sekelo and Shell South Africa (STISA). She is also a member of the Institute of Directors in Southern Africa (IoDSA). 

Ms Makatini said that she was looking forward to charting an exciting new future for BCIMA and its members. “Nobody understands the needs of employers and employees within the building and construction industry in the way BICMA does, and we have consequently got a great deal to offer our members.”

“BCIMA is a well-established and stable fund with a proud record of service excellence, prompt payments and efficient service delivery. Our members can count on having easy access to effective and efficient healthcare services at affordable rates thereby ensuring that every single healthcare rand spent goes so much further,” added Ms Makatini.

“I believe that BICMA is a noteworthy precursor to National Health Insurance [NHI], and that the time has come for us to share our successes and considerable achievements in the healthcare funding arena,” she concluded.