The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) is proud to bestow its prestigious Cheetah Award to Rudi Kruger, a Corporate Specialist in Environmental Management within Eskom’s Sustainability Division. Rudi has contributed significantly towards advancing wildlife and power line related conservation efforts in South Africa.
What is the Cheetah Award?
The Cheetah Award is awarded to individuals who have gone beyond the call of duty and extended themselves over a prolonged period of time in support of achieving the Mission of the EWT, which is to conserve threatened species and ecosystems throughout the region to the benefit of all.
The EWT Cheetah Awards are highly prized and valued for their acknowledgement of the individual’s role in supporting the work and sustainability of the EWT. Rudi’s first involvement with the EWT dates back to 1995 when he was alerted to vulture electrocutions in the Lichtenburg area. When the Eskom/EWT partnership was established in 1996 , Rudi was one of the major role players and still is today some 19 years later. Rudi has demonstrated outstanding leadership, guidance and direction within the EWT Eskom partnership and continues to demonstrate an ongoing commitment not only to the EWT but the cause of conservation in his everyday actions. His contribution towards conservation goes above and beyond the call of duty, showing individual commitment and passion in his actions for the good of the environment.
Well deserved by Rudi
Regarded by many as the father of the Eskom/EWT partnership, Rudi has worked relentlessly to address the issues around the impact of electrical infrastructure on South African wildlife. Rudi also played a major role in the development of many technical bulletins, technical instructions, including standards relating to wildlife and electrical infrastructure within the Eskom/EWT partnership. One of Rudi’s biggest accomplishments was to introduce a Biodiversity standard in Eskom which led the national energy provider to only use ‘bird friendly’ structures when constructing new power lines or upgrading existing infrastructure across South Africa.
“Rudi has left a lasting legacy and we hope this will continue for many years to come. Due to his efforts, power lines in South Africa are constructed in a ‘bird friendly’ manner” says Constant Hoogstad, the EWT’s Wildlife and Energy Programme Manager. The EWT’s Wildlife and Energy Programme is involved in addressing the impacts of electrical infrastructure on wildlife and birds.
*Photo available on request. Credit Dave Lucas. Persons in photo right to left Deidre Herbst (Eskom), Rudi Kruger (Eskom) and Constant Hoogstad (EWT).
Please visit www.ewt.org.za or contact WEP Manager Constant Hoogstad (constanth@ewt.org.za) for more information about the EWT-Eskom Partnership and the Wildlife and Energy Programme.
