National Executive Committee

The National Executive Committee (NEC) conducts the affairs of the IAIAsa affiliate on behalf of its members by steering the strategic direction of IAIAsa and forming a link to the international body of IAIA.

The NEC consists of at least eight nationally elected members: the President, the Past President, the President-Elect, the Secretary, the Treasurer, three office bearers one of which is a Student Representative; as well as the five (currently active) Branch chairpersons, elected regionally. All National Executive Committee members are elected for two-year terms of office, which start on 1 March and end on 28 February two years later, while presidents-elect commit to a three year term of office.

The NEC meets at least twice in person annually, within the first months (Strat Plan) of the financial year to elect a new President Elect (i.e. who starts his/her term 12 months later as President) and to plan for the coming year, and then again for mid term traditionally at the time of the IAIAsa National Conference. In addition a NEC teleconference meeting is held every second month to discuss progress of tasks and any other matters requiring attention. The Plan set at the Strategic Planning (StratPlan) meeting is largely implemented at branch level, where most interaction occurs with the IAIAsa members. The current committee members and portfolios are as follows:

National Executive Committee 2023/2024

President: Greg Beyers 

Greg Beyers has over twenty years of experience as a natural resource manager and environmental consultant and is registered as an Environmental Scientist. He has completed IEMA and SAATCA registered environmental, ISO 14001 and ISO 19001 auditing courses. He has consulted for mining, industrial, commercial, and eco-tourism companies in South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho and Suriname (South America) and has managed interdisciplinary projects pertaining to environmental assessments and associated social impacts in Southern Africa.

He has been involved in an advisory capacity and/or the project management of various environmental management projects for corporate companies and developers including Coca Cola, MMC, BHP Billiton and Sonae Novobord. He recently completed 10 years in the corporate world as the SHERQ Executive and Environmental and Sustainability Executive for RCL Foods Sugar. He currently consults under Greenviro Management investigating opportunities to make a difference in catchment management using sustainability and climate change programs.

Past President: Monique Sham 

Monique is an experienced Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) with over 15 years of industry expertise. She is a Registered EAP and EAP Registration Assessor with the Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association of South Africa (EAPASA) and a member of the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIAsa), the Environmental Law Association (ELA), and the Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA). Monique holds a BA in Geography & Environmental Science and Media & Communication Studies from Monash, a BSc (Hons) in Geography and Environmental Studies from Wits and is currently pursuing an LLB degree part-time through UNISA. Monique specialises in managing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) processes and monitoring construction and rehabilitation activities. She is also the founder of the Environmental Training Academy of South Africa (ETAZA) and provides comprehensive training in the environmental industry.

President Elect and Treasurer: Corné Niemandt 

Corné has been working full-time as a botanist and project manager for over seven years. He holds a B.Sc. Honours in Zoology and a M.Sc. Plant Science degree from the University of Pretoria. His experience is extremely broad where he has worked across South Africa focusing on renewable energy projects in the last four years. He has also done terrestrial biodiversity assessments, rehabilitation plans, environmental management plans, and critical habitat assessments based on international best practice guidelines and standards in Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania and Liberia. Corné has published in two peer-reviewed international journals and contributed to the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) 2020 Species Environmental Assessment Guideline. Corné has served on the IAIAsa Gauteng Branch committee in 2021/22 and was the IAIAsa Treasurer in 2022/23. He is registered as a professional scientist in the field of ecological science with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP), and is an appointed member of the SACNASP Professional Advisory Committee. 

Secretary: Dhiveshni Moodley 

Dhiveshni Moodley is an Environmental Assessment Practitioner in the CSIR’s Environmental Management Services group. She has 4 years of experience in conducting flood risk analyses, hydropedological and wetland functional assessments and Environmental Impact Assessments in the Renewable Energy sector.

Dhiveshni holds a BSc, Honours (cum laude) and Masters (cum laude) degree in Environmental Science from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal. Her key interest lies in application of GIS in the development of accurate, feasible solutions to complex environmental challenges. Dhiveshni is a registered Candidate Natural Scientist with the SACNASP (Reg. no. 1472997/19).

CPD and Training: Andrew Woghiren

Andrew has twenty-three years’ experience in the Environmental Management discipline. He has been registered as a Professional Natural Scientist since 2005. He registered as an Environmental Assessment Practitioner in 2020 with the Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association of South Africa. He has also been a member of the British Ecological Society since 2000. He completed his MSc in 2002 at the University of the Witwatersrand, where he investigated the nutrient dynamics of a savanna (bushveld) in the Kruger National Park in the SAFARI 2000 research programme. He has extensive experience in applying various integrated environmental management tools, such as Strategic Environmental Assessments, Environmental Impact Assessments, and Environmental Management Programmes. His technical experience ranges from integrated waste management, terrestrial ecology, wetland ecology, delineation, rehabilitation and management, integrated environmental reporting, integrated sustainability reporting, biodiversity mapping and planning to environmental policy formulation and climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

He has been responsible for assessments of a large number of projects in various sectors involving waste, water, wetland resources, mixed-use urban developments, linear infrastructure (roads, railways, ports, power lines, pipelines, etc.) and mining operations. He has led multidisciplinary teams on several projects in South Africa and several countries in the SADC region since 2002. One of his more recent prestigious roles has been to lead a team of Safety, Health, Environment and Quality Management auditors for the Advance Infrastructure of Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project.

He is currently the Founder & Managing Director of Sustainable Insights, a Sustainability and Environmental Management consultancy in Johannesburg.

Social Media & Marketing: Helen Antonopoulos

Helen Antonopoulos is an environmental scientist in training in the Environmental Management Services group of the CSIR. Helen holds BSc, BSc Honours, and MSc degrees in Environmental and Geographical Science from the University of Cape Town. She has assisted with compiling Basic Assessment and Scoping and Environmental Impact Assessment reports for wind and solar energy facilities in various provinces. She is interested in using renewable energy to promote sustainable development in South Africa. She also has a keen passion for science engagement and youth empowerment. Helen served on the IAIAsa WC student branch for two years as the marketing/social media representative and event coordinator, respectively.

Conference Chair 2024: Tshinanne Mutshatshi

Mr Mutshatshi’s highest qualification is MTech: Environment Management accompanied by several short courses. He is a registered Professional Natural Scientist (Environmental Science) with SACNASP and an IAIAsa member, played the role of Deputy Chairperson for the Gauteng Branch and IAIAsa NEC CPD Subcommittee member. 

He has more than 18 years of working experience in the environmental field. His experience range from academic, government department, consulting and construction environments. Most of his career has been in the space of Environmental Impact Management including Risk Management, Compliance and Monitoring as well as Management Systems and compliance audits.

National Student Representative : Austin Sharkey 

Austin holds a a BSS Honours in Geography and Environmental Management from UKZN and is currently completing his M.Sc in Environmental Science and GIS. He currently works as a Junior EAP at Environamics Environmental Consulting. He is also involved in research on topics such as GIS and remote sensing, drone technology applications in environmental management, Integrated Environmental Management, EIA, sustainability, natural resource and water management and renewable energy. He has worked as an academic tutor for undergraduates studying environmental management, GIS and remote sensing, human and physical geography modules and has organized several local and national events on environmental education, presented at national and international conferences and has published research in international journals.

Co-Opted Conference Chair 2024: Barry Wiesner

Branch Chairs

Eastern Cape Branch : Administered by the National Executive Committee

Free State Branch : Eldalize Kruger

Eldalize Kruger obtained a M.Sc in Environmental Management degree in 2003 at the NWU.  After initially, working for a company specializing in mine rehabilitation and contributing to environmental management in the mining environment, she moved to Bloemfontein in 2001 where she joined the staff of the Geography Department of the University of the Free State.  She teaches courses in general physical geography (at first year level) as well as environmental management courses (at third year and honours level).  Her research interests include environmental management focusing on various aspects of environmental impact assessments; and environmental awareness and -education.  

Gauteng Branch Chair: Zama Mkhize 

Zama is an experienced Senior Environmental Sustainability Advisor with a demonstrated history of working in the utilities, exploration and mining industries. She has worked in Chrome Smelting, Gold Mining, Management, Water Resource Management, Environmental Legal Compliance, and Risk Management. Zama is a qualified professional with an honours degree in Energy Studies from the University of Johannesburg and is currently completing her final year MSc in Industrial Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Zama has partaken in the successful development of Eskom's strategic and governance documents for the Risk & Sustainability Division, for business implementation, is then followed up with periodic compliance assessments to analyse performance against the legal requirements of the country as well as Eskom's guidelines, policies and procedures. Zama has played a role in assisting the business in project planning that ISO14001 requirements are considered and implemented.

Zama has also developed an internal stakeholder engagement programme for her fraternity which has assisted her Operating Unit in developing and hosting successful technical annual conferences, articles, newsletters and webinars. Ensuring relevant technical knowledge and skills transfer is maintained and improved within the business. 

Zama is passionate about community development and does my bit in social services to ensure that the marginalised communities are provided with an opportunity for education, career growth and business development by providing support to my community, NPOs and mentoring selected individuals in need. Her goal is to see young scientists grow and thrive; developing the next generation of inventors and researchers.

KZN Branch Chair : Humayrah Bassa

Humayrah is an Environmental Scientist with over 12 years experience in environmental consulting and research. She holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Environmental Science from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, she is a registered Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) with EAPASA and she is a Professional Natural Scientist (Pr.Sci.Nat.) in the field of practice of Environmental Science with SACNASP. Humayrah is presently an Associate Environmental Consultant at SLR Consulting where she practises as an EAP on a number of local and international EIAs. She has gained extensive experience in environmental consulting with a particular focus on environmental permitting.

Limpopo : Administered by the National Executive 

Mpumalanga Branch Chair: Lutendo Ndou 

Lutendo Ndou is a qualified and registered Environmental Assesment Practitioner of over 5 years’ experience in the mining and consulting space. He holds a Bachelor of Earth Sciences (Honours) in Mining and Environmental Geology from the University of Venda as well as an N6 in Civil Engineering from National Skills and Technical College. Lutendo is on final year of master’s in environmental Geology with the University of Free State where his study is focused on Carbon Banking on wetlands. 

Lutendo currently works as Chief of Operations for Matavha Environmental in the Southern Africa. He is professionally registered with EAPASA as Reg.EAP and SACNASP as Professional Natural Scientist. 

North-West Branch Chair: Otlotleng Sebetlele

Western Cape Chair : Nicholas Arnott 

Nicholas is currently employed by SLR Consulting and holds a B.SC Honours Degree in Earth and Geographical Sciences from the University of Cape Town. He has over 12 years’ experience working as environmental consultant. During this time he has been involved in a variety of projects within the mining, oil & gas, renewable energy and infrastructure sectors. In addition to being involved in a number of projects located throughout South Africa (both onshore and offshore), he has worked on projects located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Currently, Nicholas is involved in Environmental and Social Impact Assessments, Environmental Management Plans / Programmes, Basic Assessments, Maintenance Management Plans, Environmental Auditing & Monitoring, Section 24(G) Rectification Applications, as well as associated public participation processes.

IAIAsa Operations Manager: Sue George

Email: operations@iaiasa.co.za

IAIAsa Secretariat & Bookeeper: Leanne du Plessis

Email: secretariat@iaiasa.co.za