Fynbos conservationist

Rosh Sewpersad was instrumental in forging Cape Town’s first-ever public-private environmental stewardship programme. It started when he bought a patch of land to rehabilitate outside the city. While chopping through the thickets of alien vegetation he soon realised that it had been hiding fynbos — the most threatened and biodiverse vegetation in the country. His model has since been adapted around the province.

When he is not working as a systems analyst, Sewpersad is on the land, discovering our natural heritage. He has so far found two species of fynbos that were thought to be extinct. Sewpersad plans to expand the project and make corridors of fynbos so “we leave a legacy for future generations”. And now, with animals returning to the area, he is planning to have a visitor and research centre up and running within five years.

— Sipho Kings McDermott

LinkedIn: rosh Sewpersad