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Shaun McCartney - Chief Executive Officer
(CEO)
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Shaun was born in 1961 and spent
his formative years on a smallholding close to
Bloemfontein. After moving to Pretoria he
matriculated from Lyttelton Manor high school in
1977 and went on to spend the next three years as a
commissioned officer in the Airforce.
In 1981 Shaun was accepted as a Pupil Forester by
the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry and
completed his Diploma in Forestry in 1983. He was
dux scholar in conservation and consequently decided
to dedicate his career to the betterment of the
environment. In 1990 was appointed as Regional
Environmental Manager and after completing a Higher
Diploma in 2001 was appointed Divisional
Environmental Manager responsible for 130,000 ha of
conservation land. When Global Environmental Fund
purchased a portion of Mondi’s land in Mpumalanga
Shaun decided to remain in Sabie and was appointed
Safety, Health, Environment and Quality Manager. He
went on to complete his MSc degree in Environmental
Management at Free State University. During this
period he was appointed to the international board
of the Forestry Stewardship Council where he served
for three years, the last two as Chairman. Shaun was
formally acknowledged by the FSC for his
contribution to world forestry and also received the
South African Institute of Forestry’s Excellence
award on two occasions. The company was bought by
York Timbers, a JSE listed company in 2007 and Shaun
was appointed as General Manager of their Forestry
Division in 2009. Shaun applied for and was
appointed to the CEO post at Welgevonden in 2010.
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André Burger - Conservation Manager
André was born in Johannesburg and matriculated from
Blairgowrie High School in 1986. After school he completed
a B.Sc degree in Zoology and Botany, as well as a B.Sc Honours
degree in Wildlife Management at the University of Pretoria.
He spent 3 years in the Kruger National Parks studying the
nutritional ecology of bushbuck and nyala. Thereafter he
worked for a private landowner in the Klaserie Private Game
Reserve for a little over 3 years, managing the property
and camp, taking out childrens’ educational groups, guiding
and hosting the owner’s guests.
André came to
Welgevonden in June 1997 and was responsible for
conservation, while also being involved in most
other aspects of the reserve management.
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Gerhardt Lorist – WEI Volunteer Coordinator
Welgevonden
Gerhardt was born in Pretoria and matriculated from
Hoërskool Eldoraigne in 1998. After school he worked
and traveled in the UK, he returned to South Africa
and his love and passion for the bush drew him to
the Kruger National Park where he lived and worked
for 8 years doing Guiding & Lodge Management. He is
experienced trails guide and Birdlife South Africa
accredited bird guide.
He also ran his own
birding safari company and through it contracted by
Wildlife and Ecological Investments (WEI) to assist
with a biodiversity survey identifying the birds of
Northern KwaZulu-Natal in Umkuze Nature Reserve. He
later joined WEI full time and now co-ordinates the
student volunteer groups on Welgevonden collecting
the research data in the field and assisting the
Welgevonden Management.
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Hennie Roets - Operational Manager
Hennie grew up on a cattle farm in the Molopo in the
district of Vryburg, and matriculated at the Wolmaranstad
Technical High School. After school he completed his apprenticeship
in motor mechanics. In 1970, he began his military service
reaching the rank of captain in Information Services. He
joined the Lichtenburg Commando after military service,
and then worked at N.C.D (currently known as Clover) as
a maintainance technician. He obtained his private pilot’s
license in 1972 working at Meat Master Meatsaws as Factory
Manager and pilot.
After his father’s death in 1976, he took over
his father’s General Dealer’s business and farming enterprise.
The business was sold in 1980, and he shifted his focus
to dairy farming. The dairy was sold in 1990, and he started
commercial beef cattle farming in the Waterberg. Farming
was stopped in 1993 when the farms were bought up for the
development of Welgevonden. He began working for Pienkes
du Plessis with the first development of Welgevonden, but
moved to Welgevonden Wildland as assistant project manager
when Rand Merchant Bank took over the development. He was
appointed as Game Manager in 1995, during which time he
gain experience under well know masters in Clive Walker
and later Erwin Leibnitz. Hennie is currently appointed
as Operational Manager.
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After matriculating, Jonathan pursued a career for
10 years in the electronics field of data processing
and microprocessors in the Johannesburg area. During
this period his passion for nature grew as a hobby
to a point where he decided to give up the city in
favour of a profession in wildlife research.
Jonathan went on to complete a B.Sc (Zoology and
botany) through the University of South Africa
(UNISA) while working as a field guide in the Sabi
Sand Game Reserve. Thereafter he graduated with a
B.Sc Honours before completing a six year study on
the Behavioural Ecology of the Cape Pangolin for his
M.Sc degree, which he obtained in 1996. Jonathan
then conducted ecological research in the Sabi Sand
reserve focusing on the effect of habitat
manipulation on grazing suitability for plains game
in conjunction with elephant impact on the
vegetation. Through these studies Jonathan was
appointed Ecologist for the Sabi Sand Game Reserve
from 2003 to 2010. Jonathan accepted the post of
Research Ecologist for Welgevonden Game Reserve in
November 2011.
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Li Lotriet – Security Manager
Born in Queenstown in the Eastern Cape, Li went
to school and lived for 26 years in Queenstown. He matriculated
from George Randall High School in East London in 1997.
After school he was employed in a few private jobs as a
casual, and later joined the SAPS Reservists. His ambition
was to become a police officer and he worked for the SAPS
Reservist for 4 years. During his duties as a reservist
he applied at a local security company and was employed
as a protection officer in 1998. Through the years he climbed
the ladder and ended up in the Training Department. He studied
and attended many fruitful courses, building his career
as he went along. Later he formed part of an elite security
training team that was responsible for the training of an
estimated 7000 employee’s. Li joined Welgevonden in August
2006 as manager of security and training operations on the
reserve.
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Kassie Knoetze – QUEMIC Deputy Security Manager
Kassie was born in 1981 in Pretoria and attended
Pretoria Technical High School in Pretoria Gardens.
After finishing school in 1999 he joined the Fire
Brigade as a reservist. In 2001 he joined a Cash in
Transit company as a protection officer were he
completed various courses in security and
protection. In 2006 Kassie qualified in Firearm
training and special tactics and became part of an
elite training team in 2006. They were responsible
for the training of all new employees and refresher
training for current employees.
Kassie joined QUEMIC’s training division in 2008 and
moved to Welgevonden in June 2011. From 2005-2006
Kassie played provincial rugby for the Blue Bulls
Platteland team, and still plays rugby on an amateur
level. Kassie lives by the motto: “Life is a
journey, enjoy the ride.”
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Margot Mecchi – Financial Manager
Margot has been appointed as the Financial Manager
for the Welgevonden Private Game Reserve. Margot
grew up in Kwazulu Natal. After, after matriculating
from Westville Girls high school, she
continued her studies in commerce at the University
of Natal.
After serving a period at both
Standard Bank and Syfrets, Margot moved to Afrisam
(Pty) Ltd where she worked from 1989 to July 2011 as
Financial Controller. Margot has vast experience in
financial management and administration and brings
additional strategic planning skills, good knowledge
of company tax, management systems and processes.
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Mariaan Taljaard - Senior Admin and Accounts
Assistant
Mariaan was born and educated in Natal where she
matriculated from at Greytown High School in 1985.
After a stint in the army, she moved into administration working for Nissan and Parmalat for a number of years. In 2007, when her husband
moved to Vaalwater, she
came to Welgevonden as senior admin and accounts assistant.
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Edward Molwantwa - Admin Assistant
Born on a farm n the Ellisras/Lephalale district,
Edward attended the Mareletsane Primary School
near the Welgevonden Main Gate. His schooling was completed
at the Letlape Secondary School in the district of Warmbaths.
After school he first worked as a tractor driver, and then as a taxi driver in the Hammanskraal
area. In 1989 he returned to the area as cattle herder on
one of the farms which became part of Welgevonden.
As Welgevonden started developing
in 1993, Edward became a driver for the new company, and
was transferred to the Welgevonden Office as Office Clerk
in 1995. He has become an important cog in the administration
wheel and is now handling all the identity card administration
and records, record keeping of staff debts and loans, stocktaking
and record keeping for the workshop, petrol attendants,
as well as general office duties. Edward is also a health
worker for the Waterberg Wellfare Society, and received
an award as Health Worker of the Year in 1999.
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Cornel van Wyk - Junior Accounts Clerk
Cornel is currently employed as the Junior Accounts
Clerk on Welgevonden and is responsible for general
office administration and the WLOA Creditors.
She was born in Modimolle (Nylstroom) and moved to Pretoria
where she worked at Eskom in
Menlyn while her husband finished his studies at the
University of Pretoria. They then moved to a farm near
Alma where they stayed until 1996 when Pat passed away.
Cornel then returned to Vaalwater where her family stays
on a farm outside town.
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