“I refused to sign. I cannot sell out my people. And if need be, I will die for my people.” Tragically, grandmother Fikile Ntshangase’s words became a reality when she was gunned down in her home at Ophondweni, near Mtubatuba, on the evening of 22 October 2020. Mama Ntshangashe was the Vice-Chairperson of a sub-committee of the Mfolozi Community Environmental Justice … [Read more...]
Community re-imagined in a social VR World
The annual Nature, Environment & Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF) Congress will take place in a real-time virtual world from 25 – 30 October. NEWF adapted to the reality of the times and have created a truly virtual congress. Delegates will represent themselves as Avatars, and literally interact, engage and network with other delegates and speakers at the … [Read more...]
Community owned reserves collaborate to protect elephants
In a historic translocation in 2016, Somkhanda Community Game Reserve welcomed a herd of 13 elephants donated by Nambiti Game Reserve. This was hailed as an epic collaboration, as, for the first time, two community owned reserves had successfully worked together to extend elephant range and distribution. This illustrated the importance of community conservation, not only in … [Read more...]
Youth empowerment and capacity building for conservation
With the unemployment of youth in South Africa standing at just over 50%, it is not surprising that the Youth employment sits high on the agenda of our government and the world at large. As we close off the Youth Month theme for 2020, “Youth Power: Growing South Africa together in the period of Covid-19,” Somkhanda Community Game Reserve has collaborated with Bhejane Nature … [Read more...]
Giant leap for SA amphibian conservation recognised
A conservation biologist from South Africa has won a prestigious Whitley Award worth £40,000 to support her quest to save threatened amphibians. Dr Jeanne Tarrant works for the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), where she manages the Threatened Amphibian Programme. The EWT is the only NGO in South Africa to include frogs as a conservation focus. The Whitley Awards, often … [Read more...]
Climate change review: humbling lessons from Australia
Australia, like South Africa in the last week and so many other regions across the globe before, has instituted strict lockdown measures to combat the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Though this is not the first large scale crisis the country has been faced with since the start of the year, as just a few short months ago Australia was still making international headlines … [Read more...]
Marine waste project removes a ton of litter from KZN lagoon
The KZN Marine Waste Network South Coast was launched at Amanzimtoti Lagoon last week. The event attracted 150 participants who joined in a clean-up at the lagoon to celebrate the network's launch, removing more than 200 bags of litter (weighing more than 1 ton in total) from the area in an hour. Explaining the importance of launching the KZN Marine Waste Network South … [Read more...]
How can we take action to fight climate change?
The words ‘climate change’ are known by 41% of South Africans, according to a recent August 2019 Afro barometer Survey. However, there is quite a stark difference between having a term in our lexicon, and knowing what it means. There seems to be a stream of never-ending news on events like the April 2019 KwaZulu-Natal floods, and severe drought leaving several provinces … [Read more...]
KZN conservationist now a Royal Geographical Society Fellow
Well-known KwaZulu-Natal conservationist Sheelagh Antrobus has just been accepted as a Fellow of the prestigious Royal Geographical Society, the professional body that advances geography and supports related fields of interest across the globe. Antrobus, the founder of conservation organisation Project Rhino, is one of the integral members of the Kingsley Holgate Foundation … [Read more...]
Eliminating marine pollution with innovative design
Finalists in the Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLIP) STOMP Awards have been announced. The STOMP (Stamp Out Marine Plastic Pollution) Awards made a call out in October for South Africans to enter ideas and solutions that could reduce, or eliminate plastic pollution, which ultimately ends up in the ocean destroying habitats, and endangering marine species. Over 60 entries … [Read more...]
Between the drillers and the deep blue sea
Environmental attorneys Adrian Pole and Kirsten Youens have lodged a detailed appeal on behalf of WILDOCEANS with the Environment, Forestry and Fishery (DEFF) Minister Barbara Creecy, challenging an authorisation granted by the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) to authorize foreign mining giants Eni and Sasol to drill six exploration oil wells at two deep sea locations in … [Read more...]
Go-ahead for controversial oil project off KZN coast
Marches, protests and objections to plans to drill for gas and oil along the KwaZulu-Natal coastline over the past few years have come to naught. The Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) has granted environmental authorisation to the Italian energy group, Eni, and Sasol Africa to conduct exploratory drilling in the Durban and Zululand basins, covering a total offshore area … [Read more...]
Getting the youth ready to face environmental challenges
Delta Environmental Centre (DEC) trained 37 trainers in April after it was appointed one of the training service providers for the Mass Training programme (DMT) of the department of environmental affairs which is part of the department’s Environmental Protection and Infrastructure Programmes (EPIP). DEC will be responsible for Project Management and Training implementation … [Read more...]
