The CapeNature Board

Prof-HendricksProf Denver Hendricks (Chairperson) Currently the Deputy Dean for Postgraduate Education in the Faculty of Health Sciences at UCT, Denver Hendricks was seconded from the Division of Medical Biochemistry where he is an Associate Professor with a PhD in Medical Biochemistry. His primary research area involves the molecular mechanisms of cancer with a focus in oesophageal cancer, characterising proliferative and survival pathways in cancer cells and exploring approaches to block cancer cell growth. Prior to his employment at UCT, he worked as a visiting scientist at the NIH in Bethesda, USA (1996-2000). Before that, he lectured in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), where he taught Biochemistry for seven years (1989 – 1995). He obtained his PhD from the Department of Medical Biochemistry, UCT (1989), and his BSc from UWC (1981). He has a passion for the natural environment, with long-standing interests in birding, the spectacular plant life in the Cape Floral Kingdom (with a particular interest in our orchids, proteas, ericas and pelargoniums) and anything that catches his eye while walking. He has worked extensively in the environmental education arena for many years, in the NGO sector, specifically providing training to secondary school teachers and their learners, and retains a strong interest in this area. Vision for CapeNature My vision is for CapeNature to be the most efficient, effective and exciting custodian of our natural environment in the country, for our reserves to be used more effectively as a teaching and learning resource for our schools and for higher education, and for our reserves to have value for the people of South Africa.

Professor Gavin M Maneveldt (Vice Chairperson)

Professor Maneveldt is a marine and conservation biologist with special interests in the global ecology and naming of calcified red seaweeds; the documenting and understanding of patterns of seaweed diversity along the coast of South Africa, and the documentation of its diversity for the public and for education; and the conservation of the floral diversity of the Western Cape for future generations, and its awareness for the public and education.  To this end, he has collaborated extensively, presented oral papers and published peer-reviewed scientific articles with colleagues from within South Africa and as far afoot as Australia, Brazil, French Polynesia, Italy, New Caledonia, and the USA.  Professor Maneveldt has a South African National Research Foundation (NRF) rating and is actively involved in environmental education and the conservation of all things biological.  He has received a number of awards and accolades for his research, outreach and teaching contributions.  He counts himself fortunate in that his love of nature and his interest in the outdoors has been the basis for an academic study at university and his subsequent career path.  He is also passionate about nature photography, gardening and writing popular magazine articles.

Vision for CapeNature My vision is for CapeNature to be readily recognised amongst ordinary citizens as the conservation authority of the Western Cape Province, and for the organisation to be viewed as a viable, meaningful and long-term employment opportunity.

aubrey-redlinghuis-board-memberProf Aubrey Redlinghuis Appointed to the board in July 2015, Prof Redlinghuis is a Geographer by training and has occupied senior management positions over decades at different higher education institutions. He is serving on the Conservation Committee of CapeNature. Vision for CapeNature My vision is that of CapeNature being a public entity synonymous with excellence in biodiversity conservation in the Western Cape and which will endeavour to pro-actively enhance its impact given its mandate to promote and ensure nature conservation, furnish services and provide facilities for research and training and generate income – a public entity having a passion for achieving its major objective of balancing the interests of (a) the environment, (b) the conservation economy and (c) society whilst sustaining the environmental integrity of the Province. Dr_Colin_Johnson_ProfileDr Colin T Johnson Dr Johnson was appointed to the board in May 2016 and became Vice Chairperson on 1 December 2016. He is a botanist with special interest in ethno botany (the inter-relationship between plants and people). From 1980 to 2008 Dr Johnson occupied senior management positions at different higher education institutions and national structures related to agriculture, water and botanical gardens. He is currently a member of the Langeberg Municipality Protected Area Advisory Board and Table Mountain Trust fund. As the Western Cape has a great cultural diversity, many people still use a wide variety of plants in their daily lives for food, fuel, medicine, water and the other necessities of life. In addition the region has seen great changes in population migration resulting in the socio-cultural and environmental landscape Dr Johnson hopes to address. Vision for CapeNature My vision is for CapeNature to be recognized and experienced as the conservation authority of the Western Cape and that it be seen as a public entity that is proactive to deliver on its mandate of: • conserving the biodiversity for future generations • expand the conservation economy and provide the goods and services that will enhance the quality of life for all while at the same time • sustain the environmental integrity of the Province Mervyn-Burton-Board-MemberMr Mervyn Burton Mr Burton was appointed to the CapeNature board in July 2015. He is a Chartered Accountant with extensive General Management and Financial Management experience in various industries including FMCG, Retail, Logistics, Fishing and Financial Services, among others. His fields of expertise are Corporate Governance, Strategic Management, Enterprise Risk Management, General Management, Business Turnaround Management, Financial Management, Accounting, Taxation, and other related fields. He holds various non-executive director positions and audit committee member positions both in the private and public sectors. He runs his own consultancy focusing mainly in the Corporate Governance Space. Vision for CapeNature My key focus on the CapeNature board will be Governance and Income Generating projects and partnerships. I am a member of the Marketing and Eco-Tourism Board Committee. Kiki Bond-Smith Ms Bond-Smith was appointed to the CapeNature board in March 2018. She is a Chartered Accountant and holds an LLB and LLM (Environmental Law) degree. She has extensive experience in corporate tax, structured finance and local government matters. She serves on a number of boards and does public interest litigation support as well as environmental consulting work. Vision for CapeNature My vision for CapeNature is for it to fulfill its mandate of biodiversity preservation and conservation in a proactive, fiscally responsible and legally compliant manner and be recognised as the leading conservation authority in the Western Cape. Key to this is to overcome challenges and obstacles in order to ensure that our valuable biodiversity assets are protected for current and future generations in an equitable and inclusive manner.

Paul-Slack-Board-MemberMr Paul Slack

Mr Slack was appointed to the board in July 2015. He has been a CA in South Africa since 1981, and is a SETA accredited Assessor and member of the Principal Officers Association. Mr Slack is a business owner, as well as service as a Chariman for many services, boards and councils in South Africa, as well as service as a board member in various organisations. He has also lectured in many universities and colleges and brings a wealth of financial experience to the CapeNature board.

Vision for CapeNature My vision is to ensure that CapeNature continues to receive unqualified audits, maintains its financial sustainability and monitors and improves financial controls throughout.