Dr Harry Malila

Dr. Harry Malila was appointed and served in the role as the Director-General of the Western Cape Government since 2019. Upon assuming the role, he reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening governance, ensuring a people-centered, accessible administration, and fostering public trust and professional ethics.

During his tenure as Director-General, the Western Cape Government has been recognised as a Top Employer™ in South Africa for 2023, 2024, and 2025, reflecting his dedication to excellence in people management and his leadership in shaping a progressive and high-performing administration. The Province’s Record of Delivery (2019-2024) stands as a testament to his strategic leadership, while his commitment to fulfilling government’s Promise to the residents and communities of the Western Cape is embedded in the Provincial Strategic Plan (2025-2030).

Dr Malila is also Head of Department of the Premier and is directly responsible to Parliament for a budget of around R2 billion and for the management of over 1000 staff. As a senior Executive in the Provincial Treasury for more than 15 years, Dr Malila was responsible for all fiscal and economic service matters which included compiling the provincial budget, municipal oversight and policy and economic publications  which provided him with in in-depth understanding of fiscal, financial and economic matters, both on domestic and international levels.

Dr. Malila holds an impressive array of academic qualifications, including a Bachelor of Accounting Science from UNISA, an Honours Degree in Business Administration, and an MBA from Stellenbosch University. In 2019, he earned his PhD in Public Policy from Stellenbosch University focusing on the link between governance and performance in the public sector. His PhD thesis focusing on the development of an integrated  diagnostic governance framework to address performance and sustainability challenges of Municipalities in South Africa.

As Director-General, he is responsible for coordinating the activities of 13 Departments with a total budget in excess of R80 billion and a total staff complement of around 87 000 staff members. In this position, he plays a pivotal role in leading, coordinating, managing, and implementing government actions across the Province. His responsibilities include advancing key priorities and upholding the vision and values of the Western Cape Government. Dr Malila works closely with the Premier, engaging the Presidency, Mayors, business leaders, religious figures, and the diplomatic corps. He manages intergovernmental relations at national, local, and international levels.

Dr. Malila provides strategic leadership across multiple domains in the Province, including organisational development, people management, data and information systems, electronic governance, integrity and ethics, legal services, anti-corruption initiatives, transformation, culture reforms and innovation. Through these efforts, he drives efficiency and effectiveness within the provincial government, ensuring impactful and sustainable governance.