The latest DSI/NRF/CSIR Chair in Waste and Society webinar is titled 'Aligning and Transitioning Government waste policies towards a Circular Economy'.

Presenter: Mohamed Saliem Haider 
Host: Prof. Catherina Schenck 
Date: Thursday, 3 March 2022
Time: 12:00
Platform: Zoom

JOIN THE WEBINAR

ABOUT THE PRESENTER

Mr Saliem Haider is the Director of Waste Management at the Department of Environmental Affairs & Development Planning of the Western Cape Government. He has over 20 years of Waste Management experience in local and provincial government and is also called upon to provide international solid waste management advice in his areas of expertise. Prior to joining DEA&DP in January 2022, he was employed at the City of Cape Town (Manager: Disposal, SWM), Stellenbosch Municipality (Senior Manager, SWM), and GreenCape (Circular Economy Programme Manager).

He completed his BSc degree in Chemistry at UCT, BSc Honours in Materials Science & Engineering at UCT, a BCom at UNISA (majoring in Economics and Business Management). He has partially completed his LLB degree at UNISA, and his Masters' modules at Stellenbosch University. He was fortunate to have been awarded the prestigious Hubert H Humphrey Fellowship, under the Fulbright Fellowship Program in the United States of America in the 2007/08 year, in which networks were established on an international level. He was granted the opportunity to supervise four Masters’ students at Columbia University, New York, whose dissertation was on waste management in 2008. During this fellowship year, he had the pleasure to meet with former President Jimmy Carter, who initiated this fellowship program. 

He regularly lectures in the field of waste management at tertiary institutions as a guest lecturer and is passionate about this subject matter.

His philosophy is to explore opportunities around innovation, seize the moment, think laterally, and create the platform for entrepreneurship and partnerships.

ABSTRACT

There are huge challenges faced by many municipalities in maintaining compliance and service delivery standards, not helped by diminishing budgets and higher disposal costs, and the lack of adequate resources. The current landscape necessitates a re-think of infrastructure needs, alignment with national strategies, incorporating of gender mainstreaming, thus opening the door for Circular initiatives.