Category: Environmental News

National park yet to open accomodation facilities

Tumelo Waga Dibakwane

 South African National Parks (SANParks) said in a statement it is preparing for a recall of its hospitality staff and for a phased in approach in the reopening of its overnight facilities in the wake of an announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that accommodation providers can resume operations in alert level 3. This is according to SANParks CEO, Fundisile Mketeni, who said the President’s address on Wednesday, 17 June 2020 brings good news to SANParks and many nature lovers who for the past three months have been yearning to visit…

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You should know the difference between a virus and bacteria

Katlego Kalamane

Staff Reporter IT IS very easy to confuse viruses and bacteria. They are both extremely tiny, for one thing, and, depending on what kind of bug you get, they can make you sick. Okay, “extremely tiny” and “make you sick”? We do have technical words for these things. Viruses and bacteria are microscopic, meaning they are too small to see with the unaided eye. And pathogens are “disease-producing agents,” especially viruses and certain kinds of bacteria. But, there are many differences between viruses and bacteria too – and they are…

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Energy, land and law: This year, it’s personal

Deneys
world on fire

By Kevin Bloom If history brings insight and insight brings clarity, 2020 must be the year humanity responds with effective action to the greatest threat it has ever faced. From Rockefeller’s Standard Oil to Exxon Mobil and our own coal sector, the fossil fuel industry has consistently beaten the lawmakers — now our world is on fire. But with rich nations like Australia suddenly on the climate frontlines, the courts may be ready to push back. For South Africans, who’ll be directly affected by a raft of climate-related cases set…

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Sick Building Syndrome addressed with breakthrough engineering

Alex Rose-Innes

Monitoring devices, able to detect high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), had been introduced to the local market, with the aim of detecting poor air quality leading to sick building syndrome (SBS). SBS is a medical condition affecting people in a specific building, whether commercial or residential. The syndrome is marked by symptoms such as headaches, respiratory problems, skin irritations and non-specific hypersensitivity reactions. The symptoms are often attributed to factors in the environment, such as poor ventilation and appear to be exasperated when windows and doors are kept closed. …

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Kruger Park roads temporarily closed for demolition of Kanniedood Dam

Alex Rose-Innes

THE Kruger National Park (KNP), in conjunction with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) would demolished the remaining part of Kanniedood Dam south east of Shingwedzi Camp. The remaining section of this dam would be blown up on in sections from today (Friday, Nov 29) to December 6. It is part of the rehabilitation process of the Expanded Public Works, Biodiversity Social Programme. To ensure safety of tourists, all roads in the areas would be temporarily during this time.A Affected roads are the S50 gravel road which would be…

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By April 2020 – SA’s nuclear waste space would be full

Alex Rose-Innes

  Empty casks to store the annual 32 tonnes of nuclear fuel waste at Koeberg are available, but the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) has to give the go ahead to use this. However, with 95% of available space already filled to capacity, the NNR seems to be taking time in providing the go ahead. These casks cost almost USD 14 million three years ago. Storage of this increasing  high-level radioactive waste is a major  concern in the region, especially in the vicinity of Cape Town’s beautiful beaches. The used radioactive…

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Poachers nabbed close to Malalane in KNP

Alex Rose-Innes

Three suspected poachers were taken into custody after the carcasses of two rhinos were found close to the Malalane area of the Kruger National Park (KNP). A rifle, ammunition and various items used for poaching were found in their possession. A KNP ranger found the hidden carcasses over the weekend. More rangers were called in to assist and the men were accosted in a Combi in the Park. One of the suspects tried to shoot at the rangers, but the suspected culprits were no match for the KNP’s rangers. The…

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Concourt stops Wakkerstroom coal mine

Alex Rose-Innes

The Constitutional Court had ruled against Atha-Africa Ventures proposed coal mining project in the ecologically sensitive Mabola district near Wakkerstroom in Mpumalanga. The 3-year court fight fight between various conservation entities in South Africa and the Indian mining company finally resulted in Concourt’s ruling that the application for a coal mine “bears no reasonable prospects of success. The mine, which had been given the okay from the South African government, would have seen the potential destruction of 70 000 protected grasslands in Mpumalanga and destroyed its natural bird life. Mark…

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SA no stranger to tornadoes – interesting facts from SAWS

Alex Rose-Innes

As many as 16 tornadoes were recorded in South Africa over the last decade. This year alone,  tornadoes made landfall in Bainsvlei outside Bloemfontein in May, while a small tornado was reported in Sedgefield, the Western Cape, in September. According to the South African Weather Service (SAWS), especially the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands and Eastern Cape are prone to these weather phenomenons. SAWS told the media that a tornado is a “violently rotating storm of small diameter” developing from a thunderstorm. Most damage is usually caused by winds which could reach speeds…

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Mpumalanga water shortage getting worse

Masoka Dube

MPUMALANGA is facing a serious water shortage. Dam and river levels are dropping and the situation is fast deteriorating. Dr Tendai Sawunyama, a senior employee at the Inkomati-Usuthu Catchment Management Agency (IUCMA) told  NewsHorn recently. “The situation is getting worse as we are not expecting serious rainfall any time soon. That is why we are calling the public to use water wisely. There was no enough rainfall last month,” Sawunyama said. He said the water situation in the Crocodile and Sabie-Sand catchment area was still below normal, in comparison to…

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