Dean Macpherson

Dean William Macpherson (born 2 February 1985) is a South African politician who is currently serving as Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure since June 2024. He is a Member of Parliament for the Democratic Alliance and Provincial Chairperson in KwaZulu-Natal. Macpherson is from Durban, KwaZulu-Natal and currently resides in uMhlanga, just north of Durban.

Early life Macpherson grew up in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal. His father, Rory Macpherson, immigrated from England in 1968, whereafter he was a councillor for the Democratic Alliance for Umhlanga. His mother Kerry Macpherson died suddenly of a brain aneurysm in 1999, when he was 14 years old. and has spoken publicly about how he was bullied. During this time, he piloted two Private Members’ Bills.

KwaZulu-Natal DA Chairperson On the 27th of March 2021, he was elected as the Chairperson of the Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal.

The two posters read in order "The ANC called you racists" and "The DA calls you heroes" and were erected in Phoenix, KwaZulu-Natal. Phoenix was a hotspot for violence and racial tension during the 2021 South African unrest with 36 people losing their lives during looting and acts of vigilantism that was largely based on racial profiling. Ntwenhle Mhlongo, the mother of Sanele Mngomezulu, one of the victims who was killed in Phoenix, said they felt insulted by the DA's campaign in an interview with Radio 702:"As one of the Phoenix massacre victims, we feel so insulted by what the DA is saying... How can you call someone a hero, someone who just murdered someone in cold blood, who had no weapon?" In his statement, Macpherson admitted the posters were "unsanctioned" by the DA's leadership or party structures and arranged for the removal of the posters.

During his time in office, he introduced a number of cost-cutting measures, including that no new accommodation or offices will be procured for incoming Ministers and Deputy Ministers. A subsequent investigation by PricewaterhouseCoopers found that multiple companies awarded contracts lacked proper certification, verifiable contact details, or legitimate operational capacity.

Personal life Macpherson is openly gay. He does not hold any tertiary qualifications; a minister’s skill may not be limited to one’s educational background, and public or private sector experience is seen as a potential benefit to the position.