Lerato Madiba is a dynamic program leader and engineering management professional with a robust track record in project delivery, infrastructure development, and capacity building across South Africa’s public and private sectors. As National Program Manager – Community Learning Hubs at Project Yananai South Africa, Lerato leverages multidisciplinary expertise to drive the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of innovative, community-oriented learning environments.

Lerato holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration from Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) and a Master’s in Engineering Management from the University of Pretoria, where her cutting-edge research on service delivery tracking in local government was presented at an international conference. She is also a member of the Golden Key Southern Africa Honour Society, underscoring her commitment to academic and professional excellence.

Her career spans high-impact roles such as Project Manager at Pro-Plan Consulting Engineers, where she managed the Hammanskraal Emergency Intervention Project and led multidisciplinary teams in end-to-end project delivery, including stakeholder engagement, risk management, compliance, and quality assurance. At the Construction Industry Development Board, she drove enterprise development and contractor training programs, while her tenure at the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) saw her lead technical support and program management for provincial infrastructure initiatives and pilot employment programs.

She is proficient in project management methodologies including PMBOK, Agile, PRINCE2, and waterfall, and brings hands-on expertise in construction management, infrastructure auditing, technical design, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks such as PFMA and FIPDM. Lerato’s technical foundation is reinforced by a BSc Honours in Technology Management, BTech and National Diploma in Civil Engineering, plus certifications in AutoCAD, project management, and public sector delivery.

Lerato is recognized for her exceptional ability to build cross-functional teams, engage diverse stakeholders, and drive sustainable outcomes in complex environments. Her approach combines strategic planning, community engagement, and rigorous project oversight, ensuring that each Learning Hub under Project Yananai delivers measurable impact and lasting value to the communities it serves.

At Project Yananai, Lerato is committed to empowering communities through innovative learning solutions, fostering local talent, and strengthening the bridge between education, infrastructure, and sustainable development across South Africa.