New Chairperson leads revamped FSCC board

The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, has appointed a new Forest Sector Charter Council board, that will serve for a three-year term. The board is chaired by Ms Nelly Ndlovu, Executive Director of Mondi Zimele, and includes representatives from government, industry, labour and communities.

This is the third Council board to be appointed since the amalgamation of the Forest Sector Code, now Amended. The Council’s mandate is to encourage, facilitate and support the achievement of B-BBEE targets as set out in the Forest Sector codes, and to monitor and report on the Sector’s transformation progress.

Forest Sector Charter Council Board Members:-

Nelly Ndlovu, Chairperson (Executive Director, Mondi Zimele - Mondi’s enterprise development unit)
Makhosazana Mavimbela - Executive Director, FSCC
Michael Peter (Executive Director, Forestry South Africa)
Dwayne Marx (CEO SA Forestry Contractors’ Association)
Tanucia Coopasamy (Transformation Manager, Mpact Ltd)
Roy Southey (Executive Director, Sawmilling SA)
Lulamile Xate (Chairperson, Cape Pine and MTO Forestry)
Tshepo Makhene (Head of Projects, Southern African Clothing & Textile Workers Union)
Pierre Tullis (Operations Manager, SA Utility Pole Association)
Thandi Mokwena (Executive Director, Matsino Business Enterprise – small-scale forestry & processing business)
Kwena Komape, (DDG, Department Agriculture, Land Reform & Rural Development)
Lindiwe Mavundla (Director BBBEE & Policy Unit, Department of Trade & Industry)
Tyrone Hawkes (Vice-president Strategy & Business Development, Sappi)
Pumeza Nodada (DDG, Department Forestry, Fisheries & Environment)
Bruce Breedt (Executive Director, SA Wood Preservers Association)
Penwell Lunga (Executive Director Corporate Affairs, KAP Industrial Holdings Ltd)
Darryll Sauer (community representative)
Mlungisi Bushula (community representative)

Note: The appointment of the two community representatives to the Council has still to be confirmed.

Addressing the first new FSCC board meeting recently, Nelly Ndlovu had this to say: “Today marks for me, and I certainly hope for you all - a new dawn, an opportunity to help drive, facilitate and support the change we want to see within our sector. Whether it be building resilience within our communities, facilitating the development of skills for our sector, promoting diversity and inclusion - in particular women - across all spheres of our sector, or supporting enterprise development and the creation of economic pathways - all of which will ultimately contribute positively not only to our Sector but also to our country.

“The work of the FSCC is important, as it is through our work of driving transformation and facilitating the implementation of B-BBEE, that the purpose and character of our entire Forest Sector is magnified. So, as we begin our journey, let us always keep in mind the critical importance of our mandate.”

Commenting on Nelly’s appointment as Chairperson, FSCC Executive Director Makhosazana Mavimbela said: “I have not only known Nelly as a CEO of Mondi Zimele but have interacted with her on some of the FSCC initiatives such as CEO visits, She is Forestry SA webinars etc. I am personally excited to work with Nelly as she is vibrant, very knowledgeable, courageous, confident, and very influential, and more so a strong supporter of women empowerment. I am confident that I will be the main beneficiary of her exceptional leadership skills, her positive attitude and deep knowledge base about the South African Forest Sector.”

Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) is a legal imperative for all businesses operating in the Republic of South Africa. In the Forest Sector context, the B-BBEE imperative is given legal force through the Amended Forest Sector Code, 40803.