Last week, the Cabinet welcomed Shonisani Munzhedzi as the CEO of the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).The institute is an entity of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment which contributes to South Africa’s sustainable development by facilitating access to biodiversity data, generating information and conserving biodiversity in its national botanical and zoological gardens.
Munzhedzi brings with him a wealth of experience, having most recently served as the Deputy Director General: Biodiversity and Conservation in the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment. He has served in numerous environment and conservation portfolios.
“Munzhedzi’s appointment comes amid the public consultation into the Revised National Biodiversity Framework 2019 to 2024, which is an important policy instrument for the management and protection of species and ecosystems. SANBI is closely involved in the preparation of the National Biodiversity Framework, and a bioregional plan or biodiversity management plans,” said the Department.
Munzhedzi’s holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Management specializing in Conservation Management (UFS) and Master in Business Leadership from UNISA.His work experience includes a Senior General Management position where he was responsible for Environment and Tourism in the Limpopo Province responsible for a strategic management of a package of environment and tourism disciplines of conservation, protected areas management, waste management, scientific services, integrated environmental management, environmental impact management, enforcement and compliance, regulatory services and tourism planning.
He serves on the boards of the South Africa National Parks (SANParks), the African World Heritage Fund and the South African Wildlife College. Furthermore,Munzhedzi also served as a country lead negotiator on a number of Multilateral Environmental Agreements and represented the country in, amongst others, the United Nations Convention of Biodiversity (UNCBD), UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
He was instrumental in the establishment of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). He represented South Africa on co-operative biodiversity and wildlife platforms of the SADC
