King Justice Mpondombini Sigcau of the amaMpondo passed away at Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha after suffering a stroke. He had served as the amaMpondo king from December 1978. President Zuma stated: “This is indeed a great loss to South Africa. The king was a great and admired leader, who worked tirelessly for his people, building [...]

Save Our Sands Mtunzini – a letter from Bruce Hopwood
Save Our Sands (SOS) Mtunzini SOS (Save Our Sands) Mtunzini the joint campaign of the Mtunzini Conservancy to address the proposed sand dune mining to the North and the South of Mtunzini. The Mtunzini Conservancy (Reg. No. 2007/006455/08) is a NPC with Section 18A tax status and can issue tax certificates for donations made. [...]
SHEC stakeholder meeting of Tronox KZN Sands – Mtunzini
This will be of particular interest to those concerned about the proposed mining at Mtunzini… You are reminded and cordially invited to the SHEC (Safety, Health, Environment and Community) Umbrella stakeholder meeting taking place tomorrow on Wednesday, 3rd October. At this meeting Tronox gives feedback on their performance in the SHEC areas for the first [...]
TAKE ACTION NOW: Fairbreeze mine set to leave a disastrous legacy
By Andrew Verster, CEO, Wildlands Conservation Trust Last week I received notification that the EXXARO Sands – now Tronox KZN Sands – Fairbreeze mining application has received Environmental Authorization. This Authorization will now be subject to significant legal interrogation through the appeals process, by many concerned citizens and organisations. The reason for this interrogation is that [...]
Wild Coast Faces New Mining Threat
Hello from the Wild Coast, Sustaining the Wild Coast (SWC) are highly concerned that the Department of Mineral Resources is entertaining new attempts by MRC, the Australian company with an interest in mining the Wild Coast, and their South African subsidiary TEM, to renew their prospecting licence for the Kwanyana block at Xolobeni along Pondoland’s Wild [...]

From unspoilt eco-tourism hub to dusty, mining town in 10 years? A perspective on mining in Mtunzini
HOW MINING WILL CHANGE MTUNZINI The tourism brochures boast about its ‘pristine coastline’ and ‘zig-zagging rivers and streams’ in a ‘clean and safe environment’. They also mention its commitment to the ‘preservation of its natural heritage’. But if mining giant Exxaro KZN Sands gets its way, all this could be lost for future generations who [...]

Wild TV!!
Now that I have you attention… Wild Coast on 50/50 Part One of a two part update on the Wild Coast Mining and ‘Troll Road’ will be broadcast today, Monday 26 Sept, on 50/50 on SABC 2 starting at 7.30pm. Part 2 will go out the following week on 3rd October. This will feature plans for the [...]

Sustaining the Wild Coast
I have just helped out setting up the social media links for Sustaining the Wild Coast (SWC). SWC is a civil society organization (Section 21 Company not for gain) whose aim is to promote sustainable solutions for the Wild Coast of South Africa through ‘grassroots’ involvement of rural Wild Coast communities in research, education and sustainable [...]

Are we losing Verlorenvlei?
This is a cross-post from Andreas Spath who has a PhD in geochemistry and manages Lobby Books, the independent book shop at Idasa’s Cape Town Democracy Centre. Follow him on Twitter: @Andreas_Spath You and I will be forgiven for never having heard of Verlorenvlei, but Ms Susan Shabangu should not be. She is, after all, [...]
Coal Of Africa?
A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed regarding Mapungubwe so that a mining company accussed of non-compliance with the National Environmental Management Act can resume its work, with SanParks keeping an eye on them. What do you think about this? The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, South African National Parks (SanParks) and Coal of Africa [...]
Garden and Home Profile
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Niall: Andre, I would water it once a week or so. They ar...
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Andre Diederichs: Hi I have juts planted a spekboom in a pot. It is...
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Sanford W. Mann: You probably had the "nice" marigolds--deodorize...
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Samantha van riet: Great article-we should be planting vegetable in e...
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JuliannaGee: Kloof SPCA has a few of these growing on the large...
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Companion Planting Competition
November 16, 2011
- How cool is spekboom? February 12, 2009
- Syringas March 11, 2009
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Spring has Sprung Competition
September 13, 2012
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Mystery plant
February 17, 2010
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Crops planted on rooftops, underground create new jobs, lower temperatures
June 10, 2013
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OFFERED: Spekboom and campfire crassula
June 5, 2013
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Awesome green wall
June 4, 2013
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Hello again!
June 4, 2013
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Seeds or seedlings?
May 26, 2013
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