Potter seminar explores sustainable development in South Africa

Be the change you want to see in the world.

These words, by Gandhi, ran through the recent Potter Foundation's Fellowship Seminar on Sustainable Development: Managing South Africa's Resources effectively.

The Foundation's Fellowship Programme, which is administered by UCT's Postgraduate Funding Office, supports exceptional South African students who intend to contribute to civil society in South Africa in their disciplines.

The Foundation's belief is that a strong civil society holds national and local government accountable, enhances democratic institutions and the quality of life of its citizens, and helps to strengthen and sustain economic, civil and legal rights.

The seminar was hosted by MSc student Ziningi Madonsela, and explored sustainable development in the South African context, offering possible solutions to the challenges faced. It featured speakers from the public and private sectors, academia, civil society organisations and other groups in the sustainable development arena.

Andy le May, managing director of icologie, spoke on the subject of sustainability, and how to drive the changes required; Tom Mclaughlin, of Woolworths Foods, addressed farming for the future; Tony Brutus (deputy director of monitoring and evaluation, regional office, Department of Water Affairs) presented a discourse on frameworks and policy that underpin a catchment approach; and Luke Metelerkamp (programme coordinator, Undergraduate Learning, Sustainability Institute) spoke about transformative education in South Africa. The final speaker, Alan Matthews (chief operating officer, Energy Partners) looked at delivering energy saving in a corporate environment.

Students and academics from UCT, the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and Stellenbosch University, municipality representatives, local government representatives, corporate company executives and NGO heads made up the audience.