The Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa is delighted to announce the appointment of two women into the key roles of president and vice-president of the organisation following the recent election of new council and committee members.

The Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA) is proud to rank amongst its members a number of women who are not only exceptionally well educated and experienced, but also passionate about the important role that good waste management practices play in improving both our society and our environment.

The IWMSA bids a fond farewell to its former president, Stan Jewaskiewitz, who made an enthusiastic and dedicated contribution to the organisation during his tenure, and welcomes Deidre Nxumalo-Freeman as the new president and Dr Suzan Oelofse as the new vice-president. Nxumalo-Freeman, who has stepped up to the role of president from her previous role as vice-president, says: “I would like to see the IWMSA becoming increasingly instrumental in facilitating dialogue as well as action amongst key stakeholders in the industry, encouraging others with the same vision and concerns to work together for the greater good.”

Nxumalo-Freeman is also intent on tackling issues from the ground up. “We need to ensure that empowerment seminars, workshops and training interventions are brought right down to grass roots level in order for individuals to better understand where they fit into the value chain – to really grasp the fact that waste is a resource and that a sustainable living can be made by nurturing these resources appropriately,” she explains.

Nxumalo-Freeman has worked hard at changing the way the public perceive women in the waste management industry and the results are self-evident. She believes strongly that the IWMSA needs to work closely with regulatory authorities to create a higher set of norms and standards in the waste management industry and attributes her success to hard work, perseverance and the support of family and friends. As vice-president, Oelofse’s responsibilities will be to serve IWMSA members by creating excellent networking, information sharing and learning opportunities.

Oelofse is determined that the IWMSA should have the edge when it comes to awareness of new developments regarding waste regulation in Southern Africa. She intends to closely monitor developments in the industry and to promptly disperse information to members where relevant. With a PHD from RAU and experience as a principal researcher at the CSIR, Oelofse’s goal is to find innovative ways to engage government on waste management issues.