Algoa Bay in South Africa’s Eastern Cape has unusually large group sizes of common and bottlenose dolphins. The reason for this is being researched by dolphin and whale (cetacean) specialist, Dr Stephanie Plön, an ocean health researcher from the Earth Stewardship Science Research Institute at Nelson Mandela University in Port Elizabeth. “My research team and [...]
A plant with perfectly shaped silver-green baubles, called silver brunia, that is endemic to South Africa’s Cape Floral Kingdom has been dubbed ‘white gold’ because of its escalating market demand in the East. This plant is focusing attention on the more than 9 000 indigenous plant species in the Cape Floral Kingdom. Broadly known as fynbos, [...]
To succeed as a profitable commercial cattle farmer in this era, we need to stop breeding large, unsustainable cows and bulls, and we need to change our approach to grazing management, say leading cattlemen, Chip Hines (US) and Johann Zietsman (southern Africa) “Churchill once said: ‘You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for [...]
Doctor of chemistry and founder of sustainable development solutions company Tomorrow Matters Now, Dr Jaisheila Rajput, applied her mind to the pressing need for fresh water and fuel in South Africa. She took one year (February 2016 to February 2017) to research and write about a WWF Nedbank Green Trust-funded project that can unlock freshwater [...]
A portrait of the Western Cape 300 years ago would show rolling expanses of a vegetation type with an extraordinary diversity of bulb species called Renosterveld, being grazed by large numbers of big game, including the extinct bluebuck, quagga, as well as the eland and black rhino, hence its name. The large numbers of [...]
“Businesspeople talking to businesspeople is the best way to address the innovations required to address the challenges of our time,” says Zimbabwean-born telecoms mogul Strive Masiyiwa who is listed as one the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders by Fortune Magazine. Masiyiwa is the Founder and Executive Chair of Econet, a diversified pan-Africa telecommunications, media and technology [...]
South Africa is a complex piece of music that loops between the deep-rooted love of this land and consuming chaos and corruption. Its rhythm charges towards the brink of no return, then reaches out and rescues you, gently placing you on golden shores under southern skies. You lie there exhausted, warmed by the African sun. [...]
Escalating numbers of people in South Africa and worldwide are addicted to substances and destructive behaviours. What causes addiction? Why is it on the increase? What can be done about it? It’s year-end – a time when most of us feel licensed to let go and indulge. The pact we make with ourselves is that [...]
Nobody is better at managing fish stocks than those who actually catch fish. This is what it says on CatchReport, launched in October 2016, where recreational anglers voluntarily contribute to conserving South Africa's fish stocks and oceans by adding and sharing their catch data. CatchReport is housed on the FishforLife website (www.FishforLife.co.za). This is such [...]
This is the near future for many commuters in South Africa: you’ll drive to work in your electric vehicle (EV), travelling for up to about 200kms on one charge. Once you are at work, you’ll plug the EV charger from your vehicle into a renewable energy charging unit - it’s as simple as plugging an [...]
