Flamingo Sanitation Solutions was started by Talitha Bertelsmann-Scott, a resident of Milnerton, during the COVID lockdown period. Talitha is a well-recognised researcher and monitoring and evaluation expert, both in the field of international trade policy and aid projects. She most recently held the position of Programme Head of the Economic Diplomacy Programme and the Regional Futures Observatory at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA).

She has published in many books, in journals, research papers and donor reports and has spoken at several international conferences, including at the Think Tank20 meetings that form part of the G20 process. Through more than twenty years experience of observing what works and what does not work she has developed the ambition to work closer to the ground and to be part of the solutions South Africa is seeking, rather than commenting and developing policy for governments in Africa that take a long time to show results. She holds an MA in Political Science and an MPhil in Economic Policy.

Talitha is an avid reader and recently found empirical evidence that cats are by far the best therapy for lock-down blues.

Selma Schwartz-Clausen’s experience lies in the maritime sector. Areas of expertise include maritime sector development, port management, strategy development and execution, operations management, project management, regulatory port pricing and port efficiencies. She is considered an expert and sought-after logistician.

Selma’s qualifications include amongst others, the Port Cargo Transport & Port Environment Conservation for African Countries Programme in Japan. Further qualifications include an M + 2 from the University of Johannesburg, and M+4 from Peninsula Technikon, SMDP (NQF7), PGDip BMA (NQF8) and MBA (NQF9) respectively at the University of Stellenbosch (USB).

Selma chaired several industry platforms including the Cape Town Ship Repair Forum, WISTA (Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association) Western Cape delivering on WISTA’s goals and objectives, and moderator to the African Ports and Harbours Conference amongst a few. She represented Transnet and played an integral part in establishing the Oil & Gas Task team with the objective of harnessing the collective strength of the Western Cape Ports offerings in respect of servicing West Africa upstream activities. She served as a member Cape Chamber of Commerce Exporter of the Year judging panellists and thereafter as the Chairperson.  She also serves on several NPO Committees.

When not juggling cargo containers entering and leaving the Cape Town Port, Selma is an avid hiker and can be found in the mountains surrounding Cape Town on most Sundays.

Melanie has been a practising advocate and member of the Cape Bar since 2004. She completed several terms as an acting judge of the High Court of South Africa, Western Cape Division, and has extensive experience in general commercial and matrimonial litigation.  Melanie obtained her BA.LLB degrees from Rhodes University in 1996 and 1998. She completed articles at Buchanan Boyes Attorneys (now STBB) in 1999, and stayed on as an Associate in 2000.   Melanie is finalising her accreditation with FAMAC (Family Mediators’ Association of the Cape).  She is an arbitrator and serves on the panel of AFSA and the Commercial Property Tribunal.

In 2002, Melanie graduated with an MBA from the UCT Graduate School of Business. After a volunteering stint at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital, she worked as an Operations and Strategy consultant at KPMG Consulting in Johannesburg. This career change gave her valuable insight into the corporate world, and afforded her to opportunity to obtain diverse work experience.  Melanie is passionate about social justice and animal rights. She is currently on the board of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA.

Melanie only added one dog, two kittens and two needy fancy rats to her family zoo during lock-down, an admirable achievement.

Her favourite pastimes are reading, hanging with her family, trail running and surfing with her daughter. She is slowly learning isiXhosa and loving every minute.

With almost 16 years in the ever-changing media and communication industries, Claire has worked across various sectors and disciplines: from traditional to digital agencies as well as commercial businesses, NGO’s & start-ups.

Claire graduated from Natal University in 1997 with a Soc. Sci. degree in Marketing & Economics, and then got a bursary to Red & Yellow School to complete a post-grad diploma in Marketing & Advertising Management.

After working in advertising for almost a decade Claire joined a Shuttleworth Foundation funded project to start up a youth-led content agency – empowering and mentoring young South Africans under professional guidance. The model was developed to maximize both commercial and funded projects, whilst delivering on key social impacts.  Claire worked in securing funding and delivering mandates for global and local funders and partners including The Rockefeller Foundation, Google, The British Council, SAB Foundation, The Reach Trust, eNCA, Parliamentary Monitoring Group, Metropolitan, StayFree and Red Bull.

Claire considers herself a socially minded entrepreneur with a business mind and a soothing addiction to Sudoku.