Mervyn joined the Transvaal Provincial Administration in 1994 as a botanist working on the conservation of threatened plants. This organisation later became known as the Mpumalanga Tourism & Park Agency. He contributed towards two noteworthy publications: Trees and Shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park (2002); and the Trees and shrubs of Mozambique (2018). Mervyn now heads up the MTPA’s Biodiversity Planning and GIS unit where he has developed two systematic conservation plans for Mpumalanga. He is a JuniperGIS authorised Master Instructor. He holds a PhD (botany) from the University of the Witwatersrand and has contributed to several peer reviewed articles on the subject matter of botany, taxonomy, and systematic biodiversity planning. Mervyn is also an Honorary Researcher appointed in the School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand.

IAIAsa Mpumalanga Branch Committee

Marius holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Town and Regional Planning from the University of Notrh-West and has 20 years’ experience (9 years in private sector) in town and regional planning. He has joined the Mpumalanga Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs in 2012 as Chief Town and Regional Planner and currently heads the Directorate: Spatial Planning.

The core purpose of his unit is to assist local government to align and implement their spatial planning tools (Spatial Development Frameworks, Land Use Schemes, municipal by-laws) in accordance to the provisions of the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA).

He has developed 8 municipal SDFs, 2 Land Use Schemes, assisted with the review of 16 municipal SDFs, the drafting of 17 Municipal Spatial Planning and Land Use Management By-Laws and spearheaded the compilation of the Provincial Spatial Development Framework (PSDF).

IAIAsa Mpumalanga Branch Chair