Stellenbosch University student Lesedi Monnanyane meets with Prince William during the Earthshot Prize events in Cape Town. Picture: Stellenbosch University
Lesedi Monnanyane, a final-year Sustainable Development student from Stellenbosch University, recently joined Prince William in Cape Town as one of Africa’s top 100 participants in the Earthshot Prize Youth Programme.
In a rare opportunity to discuss environmental challenges, Monnanyane shared his ideas with the prince, who he described as showing “genuine interest in the ideas and stories shared by the youth involved in the programme”.
Monnanyane, from the mining town of Postmasburg in the Northern Cape, is no stranger to the impact of environmental issues. Surrounded by over 35 mining operations and grappling with severe water scarcity, he has long been passionate about finding sustainable solutions for pollution and resource scarcity.
His waste, gardening, and cleaning business has already created 30 jobs in Postmasburg, focusing on carbon emission reduction and ecological restoration.
The business has recently pivoted to generate carbon credits and produce biofuels from organic waste and invasive plants, with Monnanyane saying, “This mission doesn’t just clean our air and communities, but also restores our dry and arid lands.”
Prince William, who founded the Earthshot Prize to support scalable environmental solutions, was in South Africa for the award’s fourth annual ceremony. Five winners, selected globally, will each receive £1 million (R23 million) to support their innovative projects.
During the week, the prince met several eco-leaders, including youth from the Earthshot Prize Youth Programme, which empowers young people with mentoring and networking opportunities to prepare them for potential Earthshot Prize consideration.
As part of his entrepreneurial work, Monnanyane has also started a biorefinery that explores biodiesel production from invasive plants, using Fischer-Tropsch technology. This aligns with his goal to make biofuels a viable alternative to fossil fuels.
“Through education and entrepreneurship, I hope to contribute to a more competitive, energy-diverse landscape where biofuels can outcompete fossil fuels,” he said.
Monnanyane explained that the Earthshot Prize Launchpad, recently launched by Prince William, provides a critical platform for African start-up founders like him to connect with global investors.
“Meeting Prince William reinforced my belief that youth-led innovation is key to solving global challenges,” Monnanyane said, adding that the experience has strengthened his commitment to creating meaningful environmental impact through scalable solutions.
IOL