IAP2 SA BOARD

Mike’s experience in engaging with communities and municipalities spans more than 20 years. He is currently employed as a senior programme coordinator at Planact, a non-governmental organisation based in Johannesburg, Gauteng Province.

Mike has conducted several training programmes for communities and municipal officials on the following concepts: integrated development planning, municipal budgets, key performance area/indicators, leadership, conflict management, project management, housing policy, and local government legislations. He recently completed an Advanced Diploma Public Administration through the University of the Western Cape (2019).

In 2012, Mike made a written contribution in the publication of Good Governance Learning Network: “A case of participatory budgeting in South Africa” (pg.82) in Putting participation at the heart of development//Putting development at the heart of participation. A civil society perspective on local.

Mike joined IAP2SA in 2020, and currently holds the position of vice chairperson.

Thea Weeks has more than 20 years’ experience in stakeholder engagement, communication, social safeguarding and assessments. She leads conceptualisation, design, implementation, and management of communication and stakeholder engagement processes.

Thea has managed and contributed to communication strategies, stakeholder engagement, social performance and safeguard assessments in Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa.

As an advocate for human rights, diversity, inclusion, and equity, Thea designs and implements communication strategies and processes that are inclusive and culturally appropriate within the context of local customs and language. All processes include detailed stakeholder mapping, geo-mapping, and data visualisation, an audit trail of the communication process and assisting technical teams to meet with stakeholders. Through mentoring and capacity building, she actively promotes inclusive stakeholder engagement, and provides guidance and direction to newcomers.

Thea is an experienced guest lecturer, keynote speaker, facilitator and motivational speaker. Philanthropy forms part of her ethos and, as such, previous volunteer initiatives include mentoring ‘Young African Leaders’ of the Mandela Washington Fellowship (a flagship project of Barack Obama) and mentoring and training entrepreneurs’ as part of the Paradigm Shift programme (United States’ NGO). Thea has also co-established a place of refuge for destitute people, a home and nursery school for orphaned and vulnerable children, and a home for the impoverished elderly (with more than 4 000 beneficiaries over a five-year period).

Thea is a member of the International Association of Public Participation, the International Sociological Association, International Association for Impact Assessment, International Society for Sustainability Professionals, and South African Monitoring and Evaluation Association.

David N Morema is an urban development and human settlement practitioner who, for the past 25 years, has served and pioneered initiatives in various institutions and human settlement programmes. Currently, he is a founding member and partner in Kuhle Solutions and Development Services, a company specialising in human settlement processes. Previously, he held senior executive positions as managing director in various social housing companies, senior politician in Germiston and Ekurhuleni municipal councils, chief executive officer for the National Association for Social Housing Organisations, and lastly executive director for human settlements at the City of Ekurhuleni.

In the realm of human settlements, David’s areas of specialisation include social and rental housing, inner city housing projects, in-situ upgrade projects, private sector affordable rental initiatives, public housing initiatives, housing construction programme/project management. His development expertise lies in urban renewal conceptualisation and implementation, and funding and institutional considerations. David has also accumulated a wealth of experience and exposure in the organisational or institutional development arena, strategy and policy development, and implementation. He is skilled in facilitation, negotiation, mediation, planning, monitoring, critical thinking and problem solving.

David has had extensive exposure to international best practice and study tours in human settlement and urban renewal in addressing spatial, economic and social dysfunctionalities. These include informal settlement and inner city upgrading in Brazil, new town developments in China, community self-help schemes and housing in Kenya, and social and rental housing in the Netherlands and Canada. He has presented and was a panel member for the 9th and 10th World Urban Forum sessions.

Snowy Makhudu is a practising environmental assessment practitioner with over 20 years of experience and is the managing director of Tholoana Environmental Consulting. She is a qualified meteorologist/climatologist, holding a National Higher Diploma in Meteorology. Her experience in environmental management includes integrated waste management and sustainable development. She has worked with the SALGA climate change mitigation strategy, Eskom distribution and generation environmental impact assessments and on municipal mining permits and licensing, among others.

Snowy is currently the national president for Women In Environment, which was launched by the National Department of Environmental Affairs’ Deputy Minister Mabudafhasi on 22 August 2010. She is also the chairperson of the Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association of South Africa and Hand-in-Hand South Africa.

Lorato founded NSVT Consultants in 2011 as the sole member. She has over eighteen (18) years of experience as an environmental consultant and has completed a myriad of environmental management applications such as basic assessment, environmental impact assessment, waste management licence, and water use licence applications for various developments. During the course of her employment, Lorato has provided professional advice on various environmental issues, e.g., air and water pollution, conservation and preservation, and waste management. She has a thorough understanding of environmental legislation and the interpretation thereof.

Lorato has considerable public participation experience gained through her work in undertaking environmental impact assessments and understands that an effective public participation process provides an opportunity for the successful implementation of projects. Through her involvement in various projects, Lorato has acquired excellent analytical, problem-solving and research skills. She is registered as an Environmental Assessment Practitioner with the Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association of South Africa and a Professional Natural Scientist (Environmental Science) with the South African Council of Natural Scientific Profession. She is an active member of the International Association for Impact Assessment South Africa and the International Association for Public Participation Southern Africa. In 2013, Lorato was part of the team that coordinated the IAIAsa Conference that was held in Black Mountain Hotel, Thaba Nchu in Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality.

Lorato has mentored a number undergraduates in the environmental management field and provided experiential training through her company. In her spare time, she enjoys travelling, running and is also a volunteer for Heidedal Parkrun.

Noeleen Greyling is the social development and communications manager at The Impact Catalyst. She has extensive experience in social research, community development, stakeholder engagement, impact assessment and resettlement planning. She focuses on strategic thinking and planning, community and people, innovative thinking, complex facilitation, mentoring, effective problem-solving, industry collaboration, and effective communication. Noeleen has been involved in various programmes and projects across the African continent. She is passionate and committed to advancing rural and regional socio-economic development and drives collective impact by providing a platform through The Impact Catalyst where diverse partners, sharing a common interest, can collaborate and address complex social issues.

Refilwe’s experience and skills span stakeholder management and engagement, skills development (coaching and training), human resource management, change management, organisational design, ISO 9001 quality management and branding. She is a film school graduate and has a Bachelor of Technology in Human Resource Management.

Refilwe has over 10 years of extensive and tangible experience as a lead social facilitator/public participation practitioner in the built environment sector. She has worked and gained valuable experience from government departments, municipalities, and state Agencies such as HDA, SITA, TCTA as well as Nedbank and other private companies, some of which exposed her to handling blue chip client portfolios such as MTN, Samsung and Nissan.

Sue is an independent copy editor, document specialist and virtual assistant, with more than 35 years’ experience in document layout, copy editing and proofreading of written documents (agricultural publications, environmental reports, company contracts, educational training manuals, journal articles, doctoral dissertations).

After 20 years’ working with an environment scientist, Sue made the scary yet exhilarating decision to broaden her horizons and work independently for a more diverse client base. Three years later, and the beautiful town of George beckoned … now her home and workplace!

Sue is a member of the Professional Editors’ Guild, the South Africa Freelancer’s Association (SAFREA), Agricultural Writers SA (North) and the International Association for Public Participation.