About NERPO Key Staff • NERPO Business Arms Mr. Aggrey Mahanjana Group Managing Director Mr. Mahanjana has a Bachelors Degree from the University of Fort Hare majoring in Land Use planning, Agricultural Extension and Rural Development; a Masters Degree in Animal Production from University of Pretoria and a Post Graduate Diploma in Economics and Public Finance from UNISA. His work experience stretching over 20 years includes being a project manager at Zibityolo Irrigation Scheme in Transkei; Agricultural Extension specialist in the former Ciskei government; a Lecturer and a Principal at Fort Cox College of agriculture and forestry. Currently he is a consultant and Executive Director. His area of speciality is agricultural and rural development with emphasis in human aspects of development. He is a writer, a researcher, agricultural skills trainer and well known in the red meat industry. Dr. Langelihle Simela Programme Manager: Farmer Support and Youth Development Dr. Simela holds a PhD degree in Meat Science obtained from the University of Pretoria and an MSc in Animal Science from the University of Zimbabwe. She has been working with NERPO since 2004 in farmer support and development programmes. Prior to her PhD studies, Dr Simela worked as a Research Fellow of the University of Zimbabwe on smallholder small ruminant production and marketing development projects. She also worked for two years as an Agricultural Consultant with Linds Agricultural Services (Zimbabwe). During her PhD studies, she was contracted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) headquarters in Rome to compile a Manual on good agricultural practices for the meat and livestock sector. Dr. Simela’s major interest is the application of Animal Sciences to the development of commercially-oriented livestock producers. Ms Angel Nyathela Manager: Administration and Finance Ms. Nyathela has a B.Com Accounting degree which she obtained from the University of the North. She worked for ABSA Bank for two years under the Management Development Programme, where she obtained a National Certificate in Banking from the Institute of Bankers. In 2002 she joined NERPO as a Manager: Administration and Finance. She has just rejoined the organization after doing her articles with Beyers Muller (CA) SA. Her vast experience includes consulting work and project management for the SETA’s skills development programme. She also holds several certificates in financial management and taxation. Mr. David Ndlela Mathenjwa NERPO Group Accountant Mr. Mathenjwa has a Secondary Teachers Certificate obtained from National Teacher Training College in Lesotho majoring in mathematics and science. After qualifying in 1989, he worked as a teacher and spent ten years in that career. In 1999 Mr. Mathenjwa decided to further his studies and pursued a Bachelor of Commerce Degree with University of Witwatersrand majoring in accounting, managerial accounting and finance. He completed his B. Comm Accounting degree in 2002, since then he has been involved in both auditing and accounting services as a result he has a thriving 7 years experience in that field. He joined NERPO in August 2007 as the Group Accountant. Tshepo Ranford Phaahla General Farm Manager Mr Phaahla holds a National Diploma in Animal Production that he obtained from Tompi Seleka College in 2000. He is currently registered for a diploma in Poultry & Piggery Animal production system with the Continuing Education at the University of Pretoria. He has been active in livestock production research and development as a trainee in small stock production at the ARC-Irene in 2001, a manager of a piggery at Keibees Western Cape in 2002, a Young Agribusiness Entrepreneurial Development Programme graduate of 2003, Manager of Africa Pig Development in 2004 – 5, and a Field Technician for Dairy Improvement at the ARC-Irene in 2005 – 6. In 2006, Tshepo joined NERPO as the General Farm Manager. Under his current position he manages NERPO’s three training farms and is a mentor of the trainees in piggery. Ndiliswa Maswana Project Manager: Youth Development and Training Ms Maswana holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Fort Hare. She is a graduate of NERPO’s Young Agricultural Entrepreneurial Development Programme (YAEDP) and has an extensive experience in smallholder livestock farmer development. From April 2002, Ndiliswa spent some time in community voluntary services, assisting farmers of Ngqushwa District Municipality and mobilised them to form a Red Meat Producers’ Association of Ngqushwa. She has been a Regional Coordinator for NERPO projects in Eastern Cape Province, at which she assisted in red meat production and marketing surveys and has been a training farmers of the region. From September 2005, Ms Maswana was employed as a credit facilitator for emerging farmers, a position in which she played a financier, advisory and monitoring role to new entrants in farming.