ACCESS Secretariat:

Dr Neville Sweijd (Acting Director and Operations Manager)

Mr Edgar Neluvhalani (Education and Training Manager)

Dr Carl Palmer (Curriculum Development)

Ms Leshion Tholo (Administrator)

MEET YOUR NEW PLANETEER NC REPS

Cherrie Forbes

(Treasurer / Western Cape

Rep.)

Glynn Pindihama

(Limpopo Province Rep.)

Edyy Maduna (Vice-Secretary)

Bulali Rawana

(Secretary / Eastern Cape

Rep.)

Sfiso Myeni (KZN

Rep.)

Peter Johnson-

Smith (Chair)

Simba (Vice

Chair / Limpopo Rep.)

Charlotte Mufamadi

(PR Officer)

Sandy Mufamadi (Free State Rep.)

Macduff Mpangane

(Mpumalanga Rep.)

Shingai Simango (Guateng Rep.)

Mpho Sefesta

(Free State Rep.)

Meet the Chair – Peter Johnson Smith

My name is Peter Johnson-Smith and I am currently working at the

University of the Western Cape as a Project Co-ordinator in

the Postgraduate Support Division. I am responsible for

arranging conferences and workshops as well as coordinating

projects for postgraduate students similar to the HPW’s. I am

also doing my honours in Environmental Sciences with specific

focus on Integrated Water Resource Management. During my

undergraduate studies I majored in Botany and Zoology with a

minor in Environmental and Water Sciences. During my

undergraduate studies I really started developing a keen

interest in Environmental studies, specifically focusing on the

social aspects and how social development can contribute towards environmental and

water conservation. I really enjoy working with people and taking on new projects

especially when there is an opportunity for scientific advancement or social upliftment. I

was on the local organizing committee for the HPW held at UWC during December 2012 as

well as having the privilege to attend this unique event. It gives me great pleasure to serve

as the national chair of the Planeteers executive committee. Please feel free to contact me

at any time should you want to find out more what we are all about and what we do.

Office: 021 959 3920

Cell: 072 2529 242 or 074 6699 456

E-mail: pjsmith@uwc.ac.za or HPSA@access.ac.za

Skype: peterdjsmith

Meet the Treasurer and Western Cape Rep.

- Cherie Forbes

Hi there, my name is Cherie Forbes. I am currently doing my MSc

at the Plant Conservation Unit (Department of Biological

Sciences) at the University of Cape Town. I am specializing in

palaeocological studies; using fossil pollen, spores and

charcoal as proxies to determine long-term vegetation

change in Swartland Renosterveld, Western Cape. My study

aims to quantify the extent and nature of vegetation change

over the past 2000 years focusing on key drivers such as

climate change and land-use impact. Palaeoecolgical research

helps examine possible implications for SA’s current

conservation, ecosystem management, land-use, restoration,

climate change scenarios and agricultural policy. I am really interested in biodiversity

conservation and environmental sustainability as a whole. I am passionate about

environmental education and for this reason I am involved in various Outreach endeavours. It

was a privilege for me to join the National Planeteers team: I attended the HPW Teachers

Training Workshop in October 2012 and lectured at the HPW held at the University of the

Western Cape in December 2012. I look forward to embarking on this new adventure with

you guys as fellow Planeteers. As we gain some autonomy, I hope that we would continue to

embrace the opportunities that our unique southern African systems have to offer and

therefore contribute to the new scale intervention in Earth System Sciences that ACCESS

advocates.

If you ever have any queries, please feel free to contact me via e-mail @cheriejan10@gmail.com.

Meet the Vice Chair and Rep. for Limpopo Province -

Lavhelesani Dembe Simba

I am Lavhelesani Dembe Simba, a student at the University of

Venda currently registered for masters in Zoology. In my study

I will be focusing on insect pollinator, pest and their natural

enemies on Mango, determining the importance of each

ecological network. I attended the University of the Free State

ACCESS Habitable planet workshop in July 2012 as a student

for the first time, the Teachers weekend in Cape Town in

September 2012 and the Wits HPW in January 2013 as a

student lecturer. I am also part of the UNIVEN planeteers and

we recently conducted an ACCESS school program. As part of the NEC crew and

representing Limpopo, I intend to do my best. My contact details are as follows:

Cell: 0722443221

E-mail: simba.lavhelesani@gmail.com

Facebook: Lavhelelani Dembe Simba

Twitter: simba eldy

Meet the Secretary and Eastern Cape Rep. - Bulali Rawana

My Name is Bulali Rawana a BSc Geology and Geographic

Information Systems student at the University of Fort Hare,

Alice In the Eastern Cape. I am also registered online as a

Philosophy student at the University of Edinburgh located in

the United Kingdom. I am the Secretary and Eastern Cape

Representative for the National Committee. I have attended

the 2012 UFS HPW as a student, the Teachers weekend in

Windstone and the 2012 UWC HPW as a student lecturer

talking on Plate Tectonics at the University of the Western

Cape 2012.

I have worked on a variety of environments, organizations and formations for different

purposes and with different objectives. Amongst the structures I have served is WSC-SD

(World Student Community- Sustainable Development), SEACC-SF (South East African

Climate Consortium- Student Forum) and a number of other structures.I am quite a focused

and driven person; I like to see results and progress. I am very much attached to natural

sciences, and interested and curious about all sciences to an extent that I wish that life was

so long that I could acquire every possible science degree.

Cell: 0767217876

Fax: 086 2681484

E-mail:mr.rawana@gmail.com

Facebook: Rawana Bulali

Twitter: mrrawana

Skype: rawana.bulali

Meet Your Rep. for KZN – Sfiso Myeni

I am Sfiso Myeni, with BSC in Geography and Hydrology from

University of Zululand and I’m currently the only KZN

representative on the National Committee. I have attended

two Habitable Planet Workshops, one as student lecturer

and one as a student. I love a good challenge and I'm as

ambitious and dedicated as they come and I believe that I

will contribute to the success in the National Committee. I

have huge experience in societies contributing to their

success along the way.

Contact:

Cell: 0738792174

E-mail: sxmyeni@gmail.com

skype: sxmyen

Meet Your Rep. for Guateng - Shingai Simango

I am Shingai Simango, a Planeteer, Geography and Environmental

Science Student and the assistant coordinator of all volunteer

programmes at the University of Monash. I live in Ruimsig, about

16 km North West of Johannesburg. It is my belief that we can

truly make the Earth more Habitable, a better place to live and

stay in South Africa and the whole world. I am not a complacent

person. I believe that things can always be better, that if we

always take a collective approach as the Planeteers body, that

our country and earth would be a better place to live an

improved life.

In the event that you would like to contact me, my first preference is to communicate via email

since I check my emails regularly and sometimes I will be in class I cannot take calls. My first

preference and priority email is scimas7@gmail.com. You can also use my alternative email

ssim35@student.monash.edu.For urgent communication you can use my cell phone

number 002778 407 6295. If there is need for face-to-face networked conversation, you can

contact me on Skype (shingaisimango) but this will need at least either a day’s notice (via

email) because sometimes I will not be available on Skype.

If you would like to contact me physically, my physical address is Room 10a Ithemba House

Monash Residences, Bothma Street, 1724 Ruimsig, Johannesburg.

Meet your PR Officer - Charlotte Mufamadi

I am a Public Relations Graduate and I feel that I can help

in getting the message out there as a result of

qualifications. I believe that most members of this group

are scientists and that only a few are from other

disciplines. I believe that I have the necessary skills and

attributes to help put ACCESS on the map and can help

groom more planeteers and not just scientists but

student from other disciplines who wants to be part of

the program. Taking care of the environment should be

everyone’s responsibility and not only of those who

study it and for that reason I want to be involved and

take part in the initiative. My contribution is that I get to

bring a different perspective on how other people think and how we can help them change

their mindsets without being bias. Not only do I get to learn more but also I get the

opportunity to be part of a great program.

E-mail: mufamadi@yahoo.com

Cell no : 076 614 0577

Meet Your Free State Rep. - Sandy Mukondeleli Mufamadi

My name is Sandy Mukondeleli Mufamadi. I am from Limpopo but I

am currently studying in the Free State where I am working

towards my MSc in Geography at the University of Free State. My

academic interest varies from Environmental, Soil Science, and

Geomorphology to Geographic Information Sciences (GIS). My

MSc research area is Hydropedology which is defined as the

synergistic integration of pedology with hydrology to enhance the

holistic study of soil-water interactions and landscape-soil-

hydrology relationships across space and time, aiming to

understand pedologic controls on hydrologic processes and

properties, and hydrologic impacts on soil formation, and my main focus is to use GIS to

model specifically hillslopes for hydropedological purposes. I am class of 2009 UCT HPW. I

will be representing the Free State on the National Committee and wish to urge all current

and future FS planeteers to get in touch with me for membership & general planeteer

initiatives, my contact info is:

Skype: Sandy M Mufamadi

Email: sandymufamadi@yahoo.com

Institution: University of Free State (Geography Department)

Facebook: Sandy Mukondi Mufamadi

Twitter: @sandytopia

Meet your Mpumalanga Rep - Macduff Mpangane

I am Macduff Mpangane, born and bred in Mpumalanga,

Nelspruit, a village called Swalala in White River. I am a former

student of the University of Limpopo where I completed my

B.Ed degree in 2012, with Geography and English being my

major subjects. I happened to be one of the most privileged

students to become a planeteer, when I attended a HPW in

Eastern Cape (Rhodes and Walter Sisulu University) during

2012. I also attended the HPW Teachers weekend in Western

Cape (Windstone), in October 2012.

I am currently a geography teacher at Kwadela Secondary School just about 33 km outside

Ermelo (Mpumalanga), teaching Grades 10, 11, and 12.

Being a planeteer brought to me a challenge from myself to myself, such that I asked myself

that where is it that I want to see myself in the future. I have in the previous year’s been

involved in volunteer programs and ACCESS has also motivated me to continue with

volunteer work with aim to save our planet.

As a HPW NC member, I would like to commit myself and put much effort in trying achieve all

ACCESS' goals. I believe with the help of other planeteers, and working together with the

other NEC members, we will succeed.

Contact: 0822556634 & 0839420788

e-mail: malduff@yahoo.com

Skype: Macduff Mpangane

Meet your Eastern Cape Rep - Mpho Sefatsa

My name is Mpho Sefatsa, a 23 year old Honours student in Psychology,

currently studying at Rhodes University. I completed my

Undergraduate degree in Social Sciences at the University of the

Free State in 2012.

I currently chair a community engagement project I founded about two

years ago called Schools Outreach. The project basically gives away

food and donates clothing to one of the local schools in the

Bloemfontein Township. And since my arrival in Grahamstown I

have joined a number of societies and organisations. My first HPW

was in 2012 (RU/WSU), and I fell in love with earth system sciences and the ever since then.

I spend most of my time outdoors, either going on hiking trips, reading at the Rhodes Botanical

gardens or enjoying the sunset at the top of the toposcope just outside Grahamstown, that

is, if I am not buzzing about on campus or meeting deadlines. Nonetheless, I am all about

playing hard and working just as hard as you play, if not harder.

“Laugh more. It just makes you smarter.”

CONTACT DETAILS

Mobile: 073 491 6075

E-mail address: mpho.sefatsa@yahoo.com

Skype: mpho.sefatsa

Meet you deputy secretary – Eddy Maduna

My name is Eddy M. Maduna and a student of Social Work at the celebrated

University of Fort Hare. I’m philosophically inclined to concepts in social

sciences that seek to promote patronage in humanity. A well embraced

social work perspective of ‘person-in-environment’ need to be applied in

our approach to solving challenges that humankind is facing. All this are

unique qualities that I bring in the National Committee of Planeteers.

I’ve attended the 11th HPW in the Free State and later received a privileged of being invited to the

teacher’s weekend in Windstone, Langebaan, therefore I’m a student lecturer. The knowledge that I

received there made me further realise that for us to solve human challenges, we need a

transdisciplinary and multisectoral approach and climate change challenge is no exception.

I would like to see everyone sharing the same knowledge about why the planet is habitable and how

they can contribute from their different fields of study or disciplines to ensure that we continue to

improve human conditions and therefore have alternative means of adaptation as the climate

continues to change. This National Committee will help in achieving this goal and I’m privileged to

be among the first generation of this committee in order to pave way for others and to learn a lot in

the process.

madunajr@gmail.com

078 295 5030

Meet your Rep. for Limpopo Province – Glynn Kuziva

Pindihama

I am Glynn Kuziva Pindihama, and I am a Masters student at the

University of Venda studying towards a Master degree in

Environmental Science. My current work involves the use of

aquatic plants to treat water for algal toxins as a cheaper

alternative for rural communities. I have been involved in the

Habitable Planet Workshops since 2011. I attended my first HPW in June/July 2011 in

Eastern Cape hosted by Rhodes University and University of Fort Hare and the second in

Cape Town, December 2011 hosted by Cape Peninsular University of Technology (CPUT). I

have also attended one Teacher Training Weekend in Cape Town (October, 2011). I was part

of the team that successfully conducted the first mini-HPW in Limpopo Province. I hope my

experience with ACCESS activities and HPWs will help with a wealthy of knowledge,

leadership and coordinating skills in the NEC. My contact details are:

Cell: 073 759 3867

E-mail: gpindihama@gmail.com

Facebook: Glynn Kuziva Pindihama

Skype: glynn.pindihama