Goodbye and go well Luthando!
Dr Luthando Dziba, affectionately known as Dr D by some, was Managing Executive of Conservation Services for almost 6 years, joining us from the CSIR’s Ecosystem Services research group. During his time at SANParks (July 2017 to end March 2023) Luthando oversaw Scientific Services, the largest of five units under his guidance. With a strong interest in science and experience of managing diverse science groups, Luthando understood the challenges of leading selfdriven and creative scientists, which is very much like ‘herding cats’.
Luthando has a passion for informing the wise use of ecosystems and their diverse services, particularly in the context of protected areas decision-making and management. He strives to balance a species-specific focus with a broader social-ecological systems approach and clearly understands the role of science for decision- and policy-making. Through his experience as a member of the IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) Multidisciplinary Expert Panel, he encouraged us to go bigger, gain wider international exposure and also have meaningful national and international impact. He encouraged participation at various multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) addressing biodiversity issues and implementation at the national, regional, and international level in order to reach shared goals of conservation. In an exceedingly challenging global biodiversity conservation environment, Luthando also encouraged us to celebrate the wins, value each member of the team, and to pick ourselves up after inevitable biodiversity failures or anxieties, evidenced by increasing pressures on terrestrial, aquatic and oceanic species and ecosystems due to drivers such as climate change, illegal exploitation, and/or other trade-offs.
As leader of the Conservation Services Division, Luthando engaged and spoke authoritatively on diverse conservation issues. He sought our inputs and helped shape and support equally diverse approaches to these challenges while identifying and capitalising on opportunities that arose. Luthando’s understanding of scientific rigour and leadership enabled flourishing scientific endeavour during the years under his tenure as evidenced in this and the past few annual research reports. Further, he is passionate about the development of young scientists and conservation leaders, providing encouragement, mentorship and a demonstrable role model for many of our staff and the next generation.
Luthando, we will miss your wisdom, your encouragement to each of us to stretch ourselves, and your recognition and articulation of the important role of the science function in contributing to debate and decision-making in SANParks. Your generous smile and inspiration for each of us to achieve excellence in what we do with the diverse strengths that we have will be valued and remembered.
We wish you well Luthando in your next endeavour as regional director for East Africa, Madagascar and the West Indian Ocean at Wildlife Conservation Society. We will certainly continue to build on your leadership of, and contributions to both science and conservation in SANParks, and look forward to fostering new collaborations with you in the interests of biodiversity conservation across Africa.
Luthando Dziba (right) with Ernest Daemane (middle) and Thabo Kgomommu (left).
This article was originally published in the 2022/2023 Research Report.
