grasslands.org.za Grasslands Coordination Unit

The team in the Grasslands Coordination Unit includes:

	Anthea Stephens Grasslands Programme Manager Anthea Stephens is currently heading up the Grasslands Programme at the South African National Biodiversity Institute. The Grasslands Programme is a R60million multi-stakeholder initiative designed to mainstream biodiversity into production landscapes and sectors on the grasslands biome. Anthea has years of experience in managing complex environmental programmes having previously worked at IUCN (World Conservation Union) as acting director and manager of the country programme. She holds an MSc in Environmental and Geographical Science which she received from the University of Cape Town. She also holds positions on the board of PhytoTrade Africa, the Southern African National Products Trade Association, and on the advisory panel of Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa.
	Mahlodi Tau Grasslands Programme Officer Mahlodi Tau joined the Grassland Biodiversity Programme as the Grassland Programme Officer. He has an MSc Agric in Grassland Science from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and BSc Hons in Environmental Science from the University of Venda. He was the recipient of the 2006 UKZN/GSSA Medal for Best MSc Student in Grassland Science. Mahlodi’s first profession was working as Research Assistant, later appointed as Environmental Scientist with the CSIR based in Pietermaritzburg. Prior to joining SANBI, Mahlodi worked for GDACE as a Senior Scientist for the LandCare Programme based in Johannesburg. He is also a member of the Grassland Society of Southern Africa (GSSA).
	Zukiswa Ngcemu Grasslands Programme Administrator Zukiswa Ngcemu is the Grasslands Programme Administration Officer. She studied at the Durban University of Technology, majoring in Financial Management. Zukiswa has years of experience in the conservation sector and has worked for the KZN Provincial Department of Agriculture and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. Her main responsibility in the Grasslands Programme is to provide administrative support to all the components of the Programme.
	Budu Manaka Grasslands Urban Coordinator Budu Manaka is the Grasslands Urban Coordinator, seconded to Gauteng Department of Environment, Conservation and Agriculture (GDACE). She has a Masters in Environment and Development from the University of KwaZulu Natal and a Project Management Certificate from Copenhagen Development Consultancy. She also acquired her Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Certificate from CJ Development Research Consulting. The main focus for the urban component of the Grasslands Programme will be to mainstream grassland biodiversity management objectives into Gautengs’s urban economy. Budu was previously an Environmental Consultant at Common Ground Consulting before joining the Clothing and Textile Component of the National Cleaner Production Centre-South Africa (NCPC-SA) as Project Manager. The NCPC-SA is a programme hosted by the CSIR.
	Tsumbedzo Mudalahothe Grasslands Agriculture Coordinator Tsumbedzo Mudalahothe has 15 years work experience in Agricultural Development Management, 8 of these years were spent in the Private Sector, 5 years in the Public Sector and 2 years within an NGO. He has a Bsc in Agriculture, a Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing Management: and is currently completing his MBA. He also holds various certificates in: Advanced Project Management, Agricultural Products Processing and Marketing, Agribusiness Marketing Management, Principles of Agribusiness - Business Awareness, Quality Management and Customer Relations Management, PRA. (Participatory Rural Appraisal) and others. His key responsibility in the Grasslands Programme is to manage the agriculture component.
	Steven Germishuizen Grasslands Forestry Coordinator Steven Germishuizen is the forestry coordinator for the Grasslands Programme and works under the administration of Forestry South Africa. He has an MSc. in Behavioural Ecology from the University of Western Kentucky. Steve has spent the last 15 years working as an environmental consultant based in KZN on a variety of projects, mostly centered in the grassland biome. His focus has been environmental management within the forestry industry with a special interest in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem integrity. He has a wealth of experience working with forestry at all scales from ranging community based forestry to the large corporate entities. He is currently a member of the FSC’s plantations review expert team dealing with ecosystem integrity.
	Brent Corcoran Grasslands Project Leader, WWF
	Nandi Mgwadlamba Grasslands Communications Coordinator Nandi Mgwadlamba has years of experience in the marketing communication field. She has worked in both the Private and the Public Sector, and recently joined the Grasslands Programme as a Communications Co-ordinator. She has a degree in Communications, and a Diploma in Advanced Business Management (DABM), from the University of Johannesburg. She is working towards her MBA. Her key responsibility within the programme include the development and implementation of the Grasslands Communications Strategy. She will also oversee the development of the Corporate Identity of the Programme, see to effective Stakeholder Liaison, Events Management, Media Relations and the development of Publications and Newsletters.