Simon Sizwe Mayson
Simon is a Project Lead at the EDP with a focus on enabling wellbeing economies in the face of climate change and growing inequality.
An aspiring changemaker, Simon has a Masters in Development Planning (Wits University) and achieved a Doctorate (Wits University) which focused on enabling wellbeing economies in Johannesburg’s inner city. As part of this he set up the intermediary organisation Makers Valley Partnership, and founded coworking and co-living spaces in the area. Through this work and in previous roles with the City of Johannesburg, Planact and UN-Habitat, Simon has found partnership-building to be the most effective approach to enabling action.
Simon has been recognised as one of Mail & Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans, News24’s 100 Young Mandelas of the Future, and is a member of the Community Economies Research Network and Wellbeing Economy Alliance.
Simon can be contacted at simon@wcedp.co.za or on +27 (0) 21 832 0200.
EDP PROGRAMMES
Energy and Climate Change
Partnering for energy security, sustainability and equity
South Africa’s energy challenges require a systems approach that considers issues of inclusivity, safety, economy, and environment, among others. Collaboration across and between spheres of government, civil society and the private sector is crucial for a diversified and decentralised electricity generation system. The EDP brings adaptive partnering solutions for a rapidly changing regulatory environment that strengthen the renewable energy ecosystem and support the ‘just energy transition’.
Athlone Power Station: Stakeholder engagement for energy security
The coal-fired Athlone Power Station in Cape Town closed in 2003, but the site's infrastructure holds significant redevelopment potential for green energy, industry and training. The EDP supports the City of Cape Town with stakeholder engagement to help develop a shared vision for the site’s future and inform the early design process. The partnering process is building strong relationships across sectors for efficient information sharing and collaboration in the years ahead.
Engaging civil society in Cape Town’s Climate Change Strategy
Implementing the City of Cape Town’s Climate Change Strategy will require collaboration between residents, business, organisations, academia, international partners, and across government spheres and. Civil society groups have a key role to play here. The EDP supports the City of Cape Town to engage productively with civil society in the climate and environment space around climate issues and towards implementing the City’s Climate Change Action plan.
Partnering to address energy poverty in Cape Town
Although Cape Town is largely electrified, many informal households do not receive electricity from the grid. The City of Cape Town is collaborating with businesses and residents to alleviate energy poverty. The EDP is working with the Centre for Sustainable Transitions (CST) to conduct stakeholder mapping and explore partnering opportunities to alleviate energy poverty in and around Cape Town, aligning with the broader vision of a ‘just energy transition’.