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21 October 2019

INTRODUCING: ASHTON Mpofu (Water Sector Desk Analyst)

by Sinenhlanhla Ngubane (Green Economy Intern)

 

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT GREENCAPE SO FAR?

There are two main things, first it’s the family spirit of the organisation, everyone here is very accommodating and supportive and helped me easily transition from academia which is where I’m from. The second thing is that GreenCape gives you the opportunity to make a positive difference in the economy through their holistic approach to the greening of the economy.

 

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON?

Three things have been keeping me busy: Sector engagements, where I assist stakeholders with various issues and information relating to my sector. The second thing that I’ve been heavily focused on in the last two months is the MIR draft for 2020 which is approaching its due date. Third is my involvement in the Circular Economy Project by the Dutch Chamber of Commerce, where we as GreenCape assist in mapping out the water sector market for opportunities they could potentially into.

 

WHAT IS YOUR FIELD OF EXPERTISE AND HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO YOUR ROLE HERE AT GREENCAPE?

I did Chemical Engineering up to my Masters level then did a short course in Intellectual Property law and commercialisation. I then moved on to work as a Process Engineer at Magnetech, which is in the mining space, where I was involved in waste recovery and tailings. I then did my Masters in waste water treatment which also involved biogas production. After that, I went back to academia to be a part-time lecturer at the Chemical Engineering Department. So my background has involved a great deal of waste-water treatment/recovery which is the sector I now focus on at GreenCape.

 

Also, my background in academia has allowed me to be a member of the Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA) as a Young Water Professional (YWP). Basically this allows one to stay connected to industry professionals in the water sector through conferences and networking events where we share information and gain insights on what the latest developments are in relation to the water industry, which is a part of what I also do here at GreenCape, except now I have a great advantage due to my already established strong connections with fellow industry professionals that are part of this membership network.

 

WHY DO YOU DO WHAT YOU DO?

I’ve always been an advocate for the green economy and I’m passionate about social entrepreneurship which is why, in my personal capacity, I involve myself on social entrepreneurial projects and I feel GreenCape allows me to be involved in work that speaks to those two main interests of mine, because by greening the economy, you don’t only help the environment but it positively effects local communities and society all together. To me, what I do is who I am so it doesn’t feel like a job but instead it’s an extension of who I am.