Nicholas is currently employed by SLR Consulting and holds a B.SC Honours Degree in Earth and Geographical Sciences from the University of Cape Town. He has over 12 years’ experience working as environmental consultant. During this time he has been involved in a variety of projects within the mining, oil & gas, renewable energy and infrastructure sectors. In addition to being involved in a number of projects located throughout South Africa (both onshore and offshore), he has worked on projects located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Currently, Nicholas is involved in Environmental and Social Impact Assessments, Environmental Management Plans / Programmes, Basic Assessments, Maintenance Management Plans, Environmental Auditing & Monitoring, Section 24(G) Rectification Applications, as well as associated public participation processes.

IAIAsa Western Cape Branch Committee

Ms Sindiswa (Sindi) Dlomo is a Deputy Director: National Infrastructure Projects within the Chief Directorate: Integrated Environmental Authorisation within the National Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, in Pretoria. She holds a Degree in Environment Management, Geography and a BSc in Environmental Monitoring and Modelling.
She has more than 14 years of experience within the environmental management field, having previously worked for both the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs and the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and Environment (GDARD). Sindi has extensive knowledge of the sector through having been responsible for the management of environmental impact assessment applications, review and evaluation of environmental impact assessment reports, and drafting of final decisions. Her experience includes client liaison, project-specific engagements with EAPs and proponents, and implementing environmental, social, and sustainable development objectives. Sindi also seats in various forums, and other Authorities and Environmental Monitoring Committees

Dr Dee Fischer is a Specialist: Policy Support and Strategic Programme Implementation , responsible for streamlining the environmental regulatory framework.

Dr Dee Fischer holds a PhD in Energy Studies from the University of Johannesburg. Dee is employed as the Chief Director Environmental Management Support at the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries and is responsible for among others the coordination of legislation between the NEMA and the MPRDA. In this capacity, Dee is the chair of the Interdepartmental Committee preparing proposed NEMA “Regulations Pertaining to the Exploration and Production of Onshore oil and Gas Requiring Hydraulic Fracturing”.

Natasha Higgitt obtained her Honours degree in Archaeology from the University of Pretoria in 2010. After an internship at the Albany Museum, she joined Digby Wells Environmental as an Assistant Heritage Consultant for 4.5 years. She was the primary field-researcher for over forty Heritage Impact Assessments where she garnered further experience in social and public consultation, both locally and internationally, and auditing of Environmental Authorisations and Waste Licenses.

Ms. Higgitt joined SAHRA in 2016 as a Heritage Officer for Impact Assessments, where she was responsible for providing comments and decisions for development applications in both the Northern Cape and North-West Province. In February 2023, Ms. Higgitt was appointed as Manager of the newly established Development Applications Unit (DAU), where she manages the overall development application process in terms of section 38 of the NHRA at SAHRA. She is part of the Energy One Stop Shop Technical Working Group, Working Group 5 and various working groups for Strategic Environmental Assessments.

Jenna Lavin, an archaeologist with an MSc in Archaeology and Palaeoenvironments, heads up the heritage division of the organisation since 2016, and has a wealth of experience in the heritage management sector. Jenna’s previous position as the Assistant Director for Policy, Research and Planning at Heritage Western Cape has provided her with an in-depth understanding of national and international heritage legislation. Her previous 8 years of experience at various heritage authorities in South Africa means that she has dealt extensively with permitting, policy formulation, compliance and heritage management at national and provincial level and has also been heavily involved in rolling out training on SAHRIS to the Provincial Heritage Resources Authorities and local authorities.

Jenna has sat on the Executive Committee of the Association of Professional Heritage Practitioners (APHP), and is also an active member of the International Committee on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) as well as the International Committee on Archaeological Heritage Management (ICAHM). In addition, Jenna has been a member of the Association of Southern African Professional Archaeologists (ASAPA) since 2009. Jenna has been an active heritage consultant in the EIA sector since 2016.

IAIAsa National Executive President 2024/2025
Corné Niemandt is a seasoned botanist and proficient project manager with over eight years of dedicated experience in the field. Having received a BSc Honours in Zoology and a distinguished MSc in Plant Science from the University of Pretoria, Corné brings a robust academic foundation to his work. His professional journey has been marked by a commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability.

Over the past four years, Corné has played a pivotal role in South Africa’s renewable energy landscape, demonstrating his expertise in driving sustainable projects forward. His contributions extend beyond borders, as he has undertaken diverse assignments in Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, and Liberia. Whether conducting terrestrial biodiversity assessments, crafting comprehensive rehabilitation plans, or formulating meticulous environmental management strategies, Corné adheres strictly to international best practices and standards.

Corné’s dedication to his craft is underscored by his registration as a professional scientist specializing in ecological science with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP). With a passion for environmental conservation and a wealth of expertise in botany and project management, he strives for positive change within the realm of integrated environmental management.

Samantha Ralston-Paton (Sam) is BirdLife South Africa’s Birds and Renewable Energy Project Manager, a position Investec Corporate and Institutional Banking has sponsored since its inception in 2012. Sam works with consulting bird specialists, ornithologists, environmental assessment practitioners, government, and the renewable energy industry to help ensure that the impacts of renewable energy on birds and their habitats are understood and minimised. She has an MSc degree in Conservation Biology and over 15 years’ experience in the field of integrated environmental management. Sam is passionate about environmental sustainability, and enjoys challenging herself, and other people to have a more positive impact on the planet.

Lisa de Lange is a seasoned environmental assessment practitioner with a proven track record in problem-solving, managing project and regulated timeframes, and producing high-quality reporting. Her expertise has been honed through her involvement in numerous high-profile renewable and non-renewable energy projects and environmental processes that required extensive consultation with stakeholders such as interested and affected parties (I&APs), organs of state, NGOs, and NPOs. 

Lisa has successfully navigated the complexities of stakeholder engagement in these projects, including those that have been highly controversial. In particular, she has been instrumental in EIA processes for the development of wind farms, working closely with stakeholders such as BirdLife South Africa and Ground Works. Lisa is committed to ensuring that all parties have a voice in the process, and her approach has been praised for its transparency, inclusivity, and sensitivity to the concerns of all stakeholders.