The conservation industry has received the news of the death of Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TCFA) Director of the Department of Environmental Affairs, Ernest Mokganedi, with much sadness.
Mokganedi died on Saturday, July 28, in a motorcycle accident in the Magalies area of South Africa’s North West Province.
SA’s Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, said: Mr Mokganedi was instrumental in establishing, managing and extending the Transfrontier Conservation Areas in Southern Africa, having grown this network of conservation areas from a concept to the successful reality it is today. His role and commitment to ensuring that all the countries linked through the TFCAs in Southern Africa benefited from these areas; [he] is going to be sorely missed.”
Mokganedi was appointed to head the TFCA programme in 2002 – the year the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area was established between South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. He had led multiple stakeholder forums in the process of implementing the complex cross-border conservation areas, chaired numerous international meetings, and co-ordinated planning, financing and the development of infrastructure projects within the TFCA.
Nosipho Ngcaba, Director-General of the Department, said: Ernest’s sudden passing has left all members of the DEA family in shock. We are profoundly saddened by the loss of not only a key member of the Department’s team, but also a team member who had become a friend to many. Ernest’s passion for the development of tourism and promotion of conservation within Southern Africa to the benefit of all communities will be profoundly missed.”
