Welcome Elelwani Nenzhelele

We would like to give a warm welcome to Elelwani Nenzhelele who has recently joined us for a Conservation Biology Masters under the co-supervision of Timm Hoffman (Plant Conservation Unit (PCU)) and Simon Todd (SAEON and PCU Honorary Research Associate). Elewani's research will focus on the long term impact of livestock grazing in the Succulent Karoo.

Elelwani is originally from Venda (Thohoyandou), Limpopo Province. She was awarded a BSc in Biochemistry and Biology at the University of Venda before completing Honours in Botany at the same university. She fell in love with nature and biodiversity during the frequent fieldtrips in her third year Botany course which led her to become very keen in pursuing conservation biology studies. Elelwani studied the diversity and distribution of alien invasive plants species at the Nysvley Nature Reserve where she came up with theoretical strategies to decrease the number of alien invasive plants at the reserve for her honours mini-dissertation. Upon successful completion of her Honours, she decided to advance her interest in, and love of, nature and biodiversity by taking an internship course with the Bolus Herbarium under the National Research Foundation, at the University of Cape Town (UCT) where she gained more knowledge and skills in biodiversity and systematics.

Elelwani joined UCT for her Masters in Conservation Biology in January 2016. For her research project she will be focusing on the long term impact of livestock grazing in the Succulent Karoo under the co-supervision of Timm Hoffman and Simon Todd. This long term-study will highlight the conservation status of the rare succulents in this biodiversity hotspot and the potential threat posed by heavy grazing. The study will also form a baseline for land reform policy and will highlight the potential consequences of heavy grazing on the vegetation of the region since people from Namaqualand are in the process of on-going land re-distribution.

Welcome Elelwani!