Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 2, 2026

Independent Development Trust

The Independent Development Trust (IDT) is a South African state-owned entity established to manage and deliver cost-effective infrastructure and development programmes on behalf of the South African government. It was established in 1990 with a government grant of R2 billion with the aim of supporting "education, housing, health services and business development projects in previously disadvantaged and mainly rural areas."

Last revised
Jul 2, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
250 w
Citations
8
Source
Independent Development Trust
TypeProgramme implementation agency
Founded1990 (1990)
HeadquartersGlenwood Office Park, Cnr Oberon & Sprite Streets, Faerie Glen, Pretoria, South Africa
Servicesgovernment infrastructure development management
Websiteidt.org.za

The Independent Development Trust (IDT) is a South African state-owned entity established to manage and deliver cost-effective infrastructure and development programmes on behalf of the South African government. It was established in 1990 with a government grant of R2 billion with the aim of supporting "education, housing, health services and business development projects in previously disadvantaged and mainly rural areas."1

Since 1999 until 2025 it has reportedly delivered around R27.4 billion worth in development programs.1

In 2025 the organisation was embroiled in scandal when the Daily Maverick exposed corruption involving the IDT's CEO, Tebogo Malaka,23 and a resulting attempt by the CEO's office to bribe the investigating journalist to not publish the story.243 This resulted in the Minister of public works and infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, to initiate an investigation.5

References

References

  1. "Independent Development Trust (IDT) - Overview". nationalgovernment.co.za. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  2. Grootes, Stephen (6 August 2025). "The IDT and the brazenness of SA corruption". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  3. Al Jazeera English (13 September 2025). Israel's attack on Qatar galvanises the Arab world | The Listening Post. Retrieved 13 September 2025 – via YouTube.
  4. King, Sara-Jayne Makwala. "Daily Maverick journo offered R100k to quash IDT investigation (and he's got the receipts)". EWN. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  5. "Macpherson sticks by PwC to probe Independent Development Trust". TimesLIVE. Archived from the original on 11 September 2025. Retrieved 13 September 2025.