Caryn du Rand is Head of ESG & Sustainability at G7 Renewable Energies, where she leads environmental and sustainability initiatives across the large-scale renewable energy projects. She holds an MSc (Distinction) in Environmental Science from Rhodes University (2012), with research focusing on climate change and socio-environmental impacts in rural Eastern Cape communities.

With over a decade of experience in environmental consulting and project development, Caryn has deep expertise in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), environmental permitting, compliance monitoring, and sustainability strategy. She has held key roles at G7, from Environmental Project Developer to Head of Environment. Her background combines technical proficiency, GIS, public participation, and a strong understanding of environmental legislation, making her a leading practitioner in ESG and sustainable development within the renewable energy sector.

Christoff du Plessis joined G7 Renewable Energies in 2024 as Senior Environmental and Land Developer. He brings over a decade of expertise in GIS, soil sciences, and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), with a proven track record across multiple industries, including renewable energy.

His specialised experience in wetlands, visual impact assessments, environmental auditing, air quality modelling, and stormwater management enhances G7’s project development capabilities. Christoff holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Geography from the University of the Free State.

Kathryn Winstanley joined G7 Renewable Energies in October 2022 as a Junior Environmental Project Developer, following a three-month internship with the company. She progressed to Environmental Project Developer, contributing to Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) for large-scale renewable energy projects.

Kathryn holds a Bachelor of Science Honours in Environmental Management from the University of Florida, graduating at the top of her class with a GPA of 3.97. 

Yakupa Ndzuta joined G7 Renewable Energies as Social Performance Co-Ordinator in 2025.

Yakupa has a solid background in Economic Development, project coordination and stakeholder engagement, and brings valuable experience from the renewable energy sector and community development programs. Her work in the renewable energy sector highlights her strong capabilities in data verification, ED reporting, contractor onboarding and coordinating audits for external stakeholders.

Elton Gordon is the Economic Development Manager at G7 Renewable Energies. Elton commenced his career in the Western Cape Provincial Government in South Africa, where he held various positions for more than a decade, focusing on rural economic development and supporting SMMEs in the tourism and agriculture sectors.

Elton has several years of experience in the South African renewable energy sector under the REIPPP programme, taking on roles centred around Economic Development. His responsibilities included providing strategic direction and oversight to community development programs aimed at improving the livelihoods of residents in designated beneficiary towns. Elton has successfully managed numerous socio-economic and enterprise development programs in the Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, and North West Province of South Africa. He holds a B.Tech Degree in Public Management.

Trisja Bezuidenhout joined G7 Renewable Energies in 2022 as a Land Rights Developer and was promoted to Head of Land Rights in 2024. She brings over eight years of experience in land use management, site acquisition, and project management within the private sector, with a proven track record in strategy, project coordination, and stakeholder negotiation.

Trisja holds a Bachelor’s degree in Town and Regional Planning from the University of Pretoria and a Certificate in Project Management from Stellenbosch Business School. She also completed executive development training in Risk Management at Stellenbosch Business School in 2024, further strengthening her leadership in land rights and project development.

Philip Nel joined G7 Renewable Energies as Land Rights Developer in July 2023. Philip has comprehensive experience in providing town planning and site acquisition services, mainly within the private and telecommunications industries. Philip obtained his degree in BArt Town and Regional Planning from Northwest University in South Africa.

Jan Welthagen is an experienced Land Rights Developer and Town Planner.  He specialises in land use analysis, regulatory coordination, and stakeholder engagement to support the development of sustainable energy projects.

Zandri Hill joined the G7 team as an Energy Project Manager in 2024 and is currently Head of Project Development. Zandri brings impressive expertise, holding a Bachelor’s in Environmental Civil Engineering. Her background in engineering and project management is extensive, with experience across wind, solar, and battery storage projects – from initial site identification to securing permits.  Zandri’s strong analytical skills and proven track record make her a valuable asset to our team. 

Alan Cargill joined G7 in 2023, bringing over 30 years of experience in maintenance, operations, and development across oil, refining, and chemical industries. He supports the planning and scheduling of G7’s projects, applying his extensive technical expertise.
Alan holds a Bachelor’s Honours in Mechanical Engineering from Heriot-Watt University, is a Chartered Professional Engineer, and a Fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.

Heini Nel joined the G7 team as Energy Project Manager in 2023. He qualified as a mechanical engineer in 1988 from the University of Stellenbosch and holds an MBA from the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (1994).

From 2006, Heini worked as an energy industry professional – in corporate energy management consulting, services, and solutions with small, medium, and large, energy-intensive users, and multi-site commercial, industrial, and mining customers. For a period of 3 years before joining G7, he worked in the sub-national/provincial public sector, on renewable energy independent power producer procurement strategy, municipal programmes, and pioneering project management. The transaction advisory management components included multi-functional and multi-disciplinary aspects such as regulatory/legal, commercial/financial, engineering/technical, and other fields such as socio-economic development. Heini is also a Certified Public Private Partnership (PPP) practitioner CP3P.

Heini’s energy professional career is built on more than 15 years of business experience, including project and engineering management in multinational fast-moving consumer goods and international multi-site industrial products companies, business consulting with a Big Five multinational professional services firm, followed by business venturing and start-ups, including electronic business and commerce, industrial inspection technology, medical devices, and post-harvest treatment solutions.

Shannon joined G7 in 2023 as a Project Administrator. Shannon is a detail-oriented administrator with experience in oil and gas projects and in the legal industry.

Rob Lobo – Senior Electrical Engineer | Registered Pr. Eng.

Rob is a professionally registered electrical engineer with more than 14 years’ experience across building services, petrochemical, and mining projects. He has delivered key electrical and lead engineering roles on complex, multi-disciplinary developments throughout South Africa.

He contributed significantly to the Gautrain Project during its development phase, and later spent several years leading electrical engineering work on major petrochemical projects. Rob’s strong background in medium- and high-voltage network studies has enabled him to enhance system reliability and optimise electrical networks for the expansion of multiple mining operations, supporting some of South Africa’s largest mining clients.

​Paul du Toit joined G7 in 2025 as a Wind Analyst. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) in Mechanical Engineering from Stellenbosch University and brings expertise in renewable energy, mechanical design, and data science.

Before joining G7, Paul contributed to a range of wind energy projects, gaining hands-on experience in wind analysis and the broader renewable energy sector.

Rian Viljoen is a member of the G7 site team, responsible for managing wind campaign administration, logistics, stock control, and occupational health and safety functions.

He brings extensive experience in the wind industry, having worked at management level on the Roggeveld and Karusa Soetwater Wind Farm projects.

Rian began his career in farming and has many years of experience as a field officer and agronomist across multiple companies. He holds a Diploma in Business Management and has completed several safety training courses relevant to large-scale construction projects.

Sally joined G7 in 2022 as a GIS specialist to manage the current GIS datasets. She completed a degree in Environmental Science and Geographical Information Systems (Honors) at the University of Cape Town.

Sabelo Baroyi joined G7 in 2023 as Project Engineer. Sabelo completed his engineering studies at the University of Cape Town in 2021. He holds a BSc Eng in Mechanical Engineering and will be working on the early-stage development of Wind Projects. As a Project Engineer, he is responsible for optimising wind layout designs and coordinating with the project development and engineering team to meet project timelines.

Ashleigh Francke joined G7 first as an intern in 2025 and joined the team permanently in 2026. Ashleigh holds a BSocSci (Bachelor of Social Science) in Environmental Sciences and an Honours degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Cape Town.