Pictured above: (left) Thokozani Maphalala and (right) Khwezi Dlomo
WESSA is pleased to welcome Thokozani Maphalala and Khwezi Dlomo, who have joined the Coastal Programme as interns based at the Durban office.
Their arrival brings fresh energy, practical skills and a shared commitment to environmental learning, responsible tourism and coastal conservation.
Why they joined WESSA
For Thokozani, who holds a Diploma in Tourism Management, joining WESSA is an opportunity to connect his passion for tourism with environmental protection. He sees tourism as “more than just travel”, but as a way for people to connect meaningfully with places, communities and nature.
WESSA’s mission of “People Caring for the Earth” strongly resonates with him, especially through programmes such as Blue Flag and Green Coast, which show how conservation and tourism can work together.
“I bring a visitor-focused perspective from my tourism background,” says Thokozani. “I understand guest experience and how sustainability influences travel choices.”
He hopes to contribute ideas that improve visitor engagement at WESSA tourism sites, including stronger sustainability messaging, better signage and simple feedback systems that help visitors understand how their actions support conservation.
Khwezi joins the team with a strong environmental background and valuable skills in GIS and data capturing. She is inspired by WESSA’s role in protecting the planet while educating and creating awareness in communities.
“As an environmentalist, WESSA aligns with my values of conserving nature while educating and creating awareness to different communities,” she says.
Khwezi is particularly interested in using her GIS and data skills to support coastal programmes such as Blue Flag, while also contributing her knowledge of coastal and environmental legislation. She hopes to grow her project coordination and management skills and deepen her understanding of what it takes to run effective Blue Flag and Green Coast initiatives.
A clear interest in the future of sustainable tourism and environmental action
Thokozani believes that green tourism creates opportunities beyond guiding and ranger work, including sustainability audits, eco-certification and environmental education. His advice to young people interested in this space is simple: learn the frameworks, understand the opportunities, and remember that “take only memories, leave only footprints” is not just a slogan, but the future of tourism.
Khwezi echoes this with a powerful reminder that sustainability is active and ongoing: “Green is a process, not a status. We need to think of ‘green’ as a verb, not an adjective.”
“As they begin their internship journey, Thokozani and Khwezi will support WESSA’s Coastal Programme in strengthening environmental awareness, visitor engagement and practical conservation action along South Africa’s coastline,” adds Mike Denison, WESSA Coastal Programme Senior Manager.
WESSA looks forward to seeing their growth, ideas and contributions take shape as part of the Durban team.