About
- Certified Project Management Professional (PMP)
- Technical training in civil engineering and general building construction
- Over 12 years of experience in the professional building industry & infrastructure portfolio management in commercial and residential settings.
- Driving strategic infrastructure management and operational excellence with full accountability for multi-year capital planning, delivering sustainable outcomes at an executive scale.
- Value engineering and the use of various financial systems, processes and reporting.
- Experienced in business analysis, strategy development and execution, PMO resourcing and reconfiguring project teams for optimum delivery.
- Highly skilled at building high profile partnerships & relationships with all relevant stakeholders.

Infrastructure and Operations Manager
Portfolio management of infrastructure and operations of University of The Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
Successfully execute the mandate to ensure that the real estate and property portfolio operations at large function in harmony, in partnership with the various Operational Division partners, in the best possible effective and cost-efficient way supporting the primary core business objectives of the University at large, being academic teaching and research. The outcome is the delivery of a portfolio that is harmonious and supportive of the primary core business of the university.
Establish strategic direction and objectives of the faculty, and direct decision-making throughout the infrastructure planning, delivery, operation and disposal processes via a risk-based approach to achieve a balance between cost efficiency, risk, and performance and providing a physical support environment aligned to the institution's strategic objectives.
- Phone:+27 73 305 8171
- City: Johannesburg, South Africa
- Tertiary Education:
- Wits Business School Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration (NQF 8)
- Diploma: Civil Engineering and Building Construction
- Email:maleyana8@gmail.com
Skills
With a strong foundation and extensive experience in construction, operations & project management, I have gained technical and business skills that enable me to contribute to the long-term direction of companies while successfully executing operational procedures. These skills and experience have crafted myself into a highly competent individual in field of infrastructure portfolio management.
Languages
Multilingual, fluent in English and Tsonga. I'm also proficient in isiZulu, Sesotho, and Afrikaans.
Resume
Summary
Istifaa Maleyana
Innovative and self-driven Project and Operations Manager with 12+ years of experience in the professional building industry and executive infrastructure management in commercial and residential settings.
- Gauteng, South Africa
- +27 73 305 8171
- maleyana8@gmail.com
Education
Masters of Science in Project Management
(July 2023- Current)
Wits Business School, Johannesburg South Africa
Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration
(NQF 8)
June 2022
Wits Business School, Johannesburg South Africa
Project Management Professional (PMP)
December 2021
Project Management Institute
Diploma in Civil Engineering and Building Construction
December 2014
Central Johannesburg College
Grade 12)
December 2009
Lenasia Muslim School
Short courses
NEC4 certification, CESA
(Consulting Engineers South Africa)
Feb 2023
Discovering personality- Big 5 personality model
Nov 2020
Jordan Peterson
Complete investment Banking
Nov 2019
Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management - Core Finance
Nov 2018
Certificates
NEC4 - Consulting Engineers South Africa
RE5, COB Investments
Professional Trading Masterclass
Professional Options Trading Masterclass
Professional Forex Trading Masterclass
The Power of Macroeconomics: Economic Principles in the Real World by Prof Peter Navarro
Professional Experience
Operate at an executive level with strategic oversight of a real estate portfolio across several buildings, serving 11,000+ students across 6 schools and various centres. Drive all infrastructure and operations, aligning with the university’s teaching and research mission through visionary leadership and stakeholder collaboration.
May 2021 - Present
- Infrastructure Maintenance Management: Strategically manage the faculty’s CAPEX budget annually, integrating past, current, and future-year perspectives to optimize asset lifecycle and operational efficiency. Develop and execute comprehensive maintenance plans with PIMD and schools, overseeing space audits, asset registers, and preventative/emergency maintenance protocols to ensure uninterrupted academic activities.
- Infrastructure Project Liaison for Large Capital Projects: Lead high-stakes capital initiatives, including the acquisition and renovation of 47 Main Street, Marshalltown from Anglo American, for the development and launch of the Wits Crucible Centre for Entrepreneurship (R110million), directing all phases from procurement to execution. Spearhead the Wits Business School R2 billion fundraising campaign for the redevelopment of the campus, crafting the infrastructure case for support and media pack to secure transformative investment. Drive the Wits-Liberty partnership, negotiating with Liberty for collaboration with the Liberty Innovation Department for the development and launching of the Wits Fintech Hub through shared space utilization, managing tenders, budgets, and NEC4 contracts at an executive level to deliver flagship projects like the CLM Admin Building (R106 million).
- Environment and Grounds Management: Oversee campus-wide grounds sustainability, directing lighting upgrades, water-saving and back up power strategies, and access control enhancements. Leverage partnerships (e.g., Liberty collaboration) to optimize shared spaces, ensuring a safe and accessible environment that supports student life and institutional goals.
- Safety Health and Environment (SHE) Management: Provide leadership for SHE compliance, reviewing faculty-wide OHSE reports, mitigating risks, and ensuring accessibility with Wits’ Disability Unit. Direct emergency response planning and safety awareness campaigns, maintaining statutory compliance across all operations.
- General Management: Exercise full accountability for faculty infrastructure strategy, managing projects (CAPEX) and fund raising initiatives exceeding R2 billion, leading multidisciplinary teams, and representing the faculty in executive meetings with Campus Planning and Development (CPD), Operations & Facilities Management Department (OFMD), and external stakeholders (Liberty, Anglo American etc). Oversee tender committees, proposal development, and audit compliance, fostering a culture of operational excellence and strategic foresight.
- Provide effective operational support to the Faculty and Schools ensuring all buildings within the CLM Faculty portfolio across 2 campuses are maintained.
- Monitor, assess and continuously update internal and external policies, procedures, guidelines and service level agreements.
- Preparing tenders and bids. Ensuring adherence to OHSE legislations. Implementation of work programs for sites.
Consulting Projects
January 2018 - December 2020
Bluegreen Team
Act as the bridge between business strategy and project delivery, ensure efficiency and effectiveness of project management systems, procedures and processes, reconfigure project teams to ensure optimum performance and mentor and coach project resources. Projects values between R150 000 and R200 000 in value and included:
- Repair, replacement and commissioning of Air- conditioning systems at Telecommunications company 3G warehouse.
- Drywall offices within the HR department of Telecommunications company.
- Full shop fitting and revamp. Refitted with new furnishing, bulkheads, tiling and fitting rooms for fashion retail store.
Site Project Manager
Jan 2018 - Dec 2019
5th Street Properties
Project Manager - The management of construction projects on medium to large luxury residential properties and commercial projects, managing project process from procurement through execution to close out whilst maintaining the key areas of time, cost & quality management under various contracts including NEC4.
- Civils and road works, Retaining walls, Basement, 104 Car parking lot, Fire-proof partitioning, Concrete works.
- Residential alteration: concrete slabs, plumbing, electrical Torch-on waterproofing, finishing works.
- Warehouse renovation, Demolition, decommissioning of equipment, clearing, Internal refurbishment and finishing works.
- Residential renovation, Rehabilitation of dilapidated property for resale- demolition and rebuild.
Director
Jan 2015 - Aug 2017
Monumental Development
Overall strategic business management and project delivery, the ultimate responsibility for ensuring sound business strategy and governance resulting in company growth; profitability and commercial compliance. Projects were between R80 000 and R1.4 million in value and included:
- Residential renovations, plumbing, electrical, concrete works, waterproofing and finishes.
- Concrete works in 24 story apartment building.
- Plumbing maintenance and new toilet facilities at a petrol station
Onsite-Site Trainee Project Manager
Jan 2012 - Dec 2014
5th Street Properties
- On-site training and practicals for civil engineering. Supervisory and project management roles.
- Management of labour resources, procurement and delivery of materials, plant and equipment.
- Consulting with clients, architects, engineering professionals and other professionals, technical and trade Workers.
- Operating and implementing coordinated work programs for sites, ensuring adherence to building legislation and standards of performance, quality, cost and safety.
References
Below are some of my references you may contact them for a formal reference document
Portfolio
A brief showcase of the various and diverse nature of construction projects worked on
- All








Contact
Please feel free to contact me for a PDF copy of my CV.
Location:
Gauteng, South Africa
Email:
maleyana8@gmail.com
Call:
+27 73 305 8171