A Legal Mind
Mr. Mziwabantu Dayimani is an admitted attorney, notary, and conveyancer with extensive
expertise in legal and corporate finance. He holds the following qualifications:
LLB degree
Master’s in Tax Law
Master’s in Corporate Law
He studied law at the University of Stellenbosch, where he was a Research Fellow in the
Research Unit for Legal and Constitutional Interpretation and a member of the Student Court.
After graduating, Mr. Dayimani joined Cliffe Dekker Inc., one of South Africa’s top five law
firms, where he worked for six years. As an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa,
he specialized in corporate and commercial law. He steadily progressed through the ranks at
Cliffe Dekker, starting as a Candidate Attorney, then being promoted to Associate in 2004,
and later to Senior Associate in 2007.
Rising Through the Ranks
In March 2008, Mr. Dayimani joined the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) as a Legal
Advisor, later being promoted to Senior Legal Advisor in 2009. His leadership skills and
legal expertise saw him appointed Manager in the CEO’s Office in 2010 and subsequently
as General Counsel in 2011.
Expertise in Corporate Finance
With a solid corporate finance background, Mr. Dayimani has played a crucial role in various
structured finance transactions and commercial legal advisory. He was part of the legal team
that contributed to drafting certain aspects of the BEE Codes of Good Practice.
His career has also included experience in banking, finance, debt capital markets, public
finance law, and tender regulation. In 2006, he was seconded to the Bond Exchange of
South Africa, where he gained further expertise in commercial paper documentation and
financial market regulations.
Conduit with Key Stakeholders
As General Counsel, Mr. Dayimani provided leadership in venture capital, corporate
finance, commercial law, post-investment support, and regulatory compliance. His
responsibilities included overseeing the NEF’s Legal Department, Post Investment
Department, legal compliance, and administrative functions within the CEO’s Office.
In this role, he served as a strategic conduit between the NEF and key stakeholders across
both the public and private sectors, strengthening partnerships and fostering collaboration
to drive economic transformation.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), National Empowerment Fund
Following his exemplary service as Acting CEO since January 2024, Mr. Dayimani has now
been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the NEF, as confirmed by a Cabinet
announcement.
With over 15 years of executive management experience in the development finance
sector, he has demonstrated exceptional leadership, guiding the NEF in its mission to
advance black economic empowerment. His tenure as Acting CEO was marked by
strategic innovation, collaboration, and a strengthened impact across various sectors.
Under his leadership, the NEF remains committed to fostering an inclusive and thriving
economy, ensuring sustainable empowerment for historically disadvantaged businesses and
entrepreneurs across South Africa.