Summary Profile
Deon Govender is a member of the Finance, Projects and Banking practice.
Deon's practice primarily centres around Public Private Partnerships (PPPs),
infrastructure development and project finance. He has advised both public and
private sector clients in their capacity as project concessionaires, sponsors,
developers, contractors and financiers in relation to projects that span toll
roads, power plants, aluminium smelters and telecommunications networks. Deon
also advises clients in relation to certain specialist areas of finance, such
as municipal and public finance, debt capital markets (Domestic Medium Term
Note and Commercial Paper Programmes and bond and note issues) and aviation
finance.
Career
Deon began his legal practice career as a Candidate Attorney at Deneys
Reitz Attorneys in 1997. In 2000, Deon joined White & Case LLP, a US based
international law firm. Deon consulted to LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae
LLP in relation to various infrastructure transactions in 2003 and 2004. In
2004, Deon co-founded the black-empowered commercial law firm, Deon Govender
& Associates. He joined Cliffe Dekker as a Director in February 2007 and in
September 2008 became a Director of Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr.
Education/ Qualifications
BProc LLB, University of KwaZulu-Natal
LLM, Georgetown University
Law Centre, USA
Deon is a Fulbright fellow.
Date of admission: 1999
Experience
- Advised the Development Bank of Southern Africa in relation to the
establishment of a BEE finance and capacity building product for PPPs - the
product was piloted in relation to the South African Department of Foreign
Affairs office accommodation PPP
- Advised Bombardier Transportation (South Africa) in relation to their
contractual arrangements with Spoornet (a division of Transnet, South Africa)
with regard to the refurbishment and upgrading of 45 Spoornet railway coaches
and the installation of electronic brake systems thereon
- Advised a major public finance institution on its possible debt and
equity funding of the Gautrain Rapid Rail PPP Project on a project financing
basis
- Assisted City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality to establish
its R6 bn Domestic Medium Term Note Programme and in relation to the launch
thereof pursuant to a R700m Bond issue
- Advised French Company Aluminium Pechiney (now part of Alcan, Canada)
in relation to the construction and operation of a $2,2 bn aluminium smelter
plant at the Port of Coega, along the east coast of South Africa - the
transaction involved providing extensive advice on, amongst other, the recently
introduced Industrial Development Zones regulatory framework, tax incentives,
infrastructure development and property issues, issues relating to security to
underpin the project financing of the smelter plant and general corporate and
commercial matters
- Advised NamPower (the Namibian energy utility) with regard to the
joint development project to test the feasibility of establishing the Kudu Gas
Field development and the Kudu Power Station, an independent power project,
comprising the establishment of an 800 MW combined cycle gas turbine plant
- Advised Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (Pty) Ltd, a subsidiary of Eskom
Holdings Limited, in relation to its capital raising initiative to fund the
establishment of a test pebble bed nuclear reactor
- Advised the Government of the Republic of Ghana in relation to the
acquisition of the Kaizer Aluminium's aluminium smelter in the Volta River
region of that country
