Biography

Clinton Heimann is the Deputy Director General of Spatial Planning and Land Use Management in the National Department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development.

A registered Town and Regional planner by profession, he holds a Master's degree in Town and Regional Planning from the University of Pretoria. He has more than 24 years of professional experience, with a specific focus on strategic planning and programme development and the management of infrastructure and agricultural projects, including infrastructural and institutional development for rural and urban areas in South Africa. He has worked in numerous National Departments, including the: 1. Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, 2. Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, 3. Department Cooperation Governance and Traditional Affairs.

He is currently responsible for managing and implementing the Department's policies, programmes and budgets across all regions and provinces, as well as promoting integrated spatial planning and land management throughout South Africa through strategic partnerships with relevant national and international stakeholders. He represents South Africa at the UN-GGIM and the UN-GGIM Africa and various other high-level meetings and partnership the SDG Data Alliance.

His current functions include administering the following National Acts: 1. Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act; 2. the Spatial Data Infrastructure Act; and 3. the Planning Professions Act. His key areas of focus over the next 3 years are: 1. The embedding and implementation of the recently gazetted, National Spatial Development Framework 2050, which is South Africa's long-term vision for spatial planning and development, and 2. The development of the South African Spatial Data Infrastructure (SASDI) the cornerstone of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), will enable the integration of spatial information into decision-making to this end the SDG Data Alliance provides a sound basis for information and technology sharing. This work includes supporting and strengthening the Committee on Spatial Information in terms of coordination, monitoring, and development of spatial information policies, standards, and strategies across the different levels of government.