Skeleton staff, below par accounting systems, not enough in the kitty to cover rehabilitation costs, and unresolved problems with the Richtersveld Community.
By Kevin Bloom• 25 May 2021
From left: Lehlogonolo Masoga, the recently appointed CEO of the MMSEZ operating company. (Photo: Gallo Images / City Press / Leon Sadiki) | An impression of the MMSEZ. (Image: Limpopo Economic Development Agency) | A baobab in Limpopo, South Africa. (Photo: Gallo Images / Sunday Times / Marianne Schwankhart) | Limpopo River (Photo: Kevin Bloom | Limpopo River with elephant cows en route to Zimbabwe. (Photo: Wally Schultz) | South African currency. (Photo: Nadine Hutton / Bloomberg via Getty Images)
On 1 September 2020, the draft environmental impact assessment for the R145bn Musina-Makhado SEZ was released for public comment. What followed, given the absolute devastation that the project would visit on the Limpopo River basin, were delays and about-turns that often verged on the unlawful. But on 19 May 2021, the local implementing agents for the China-backed initiative may have crossed the point of no-return a high court review is almost certain,
Rustenburg drowning in sewerage and residents are without water
By Norman Cloete
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Political parties and residents in Rustenburg, in the North, say they are drowning in sewerage and water shortages are now a part of their daily lives.
Frustrated residents laid the blame squarely at the feet of the ANC-led municipality, accusing the powers that be of turning a blind eye to the sewerage spills and water outages in various areas across the city.
Members of the EFF and the DA have joined forces to highlight the challenges of residents who now go without water for up to four days at a time.The parties said a public health crisis is looming in the area.
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Vergelegen wine estate in Somerset West, which is renowned for its biodiversity and commitment to environmental sustainability, has just completed an extensive programme to rehabilitate eroded watercourses. This complex environmental undertaking on five sites has seen the removal, storage and replanting of some 15000 indigenous plants that were housed temporarily while the programme was underway.
The R12 million project has saved rehabilitated wetlands and Lourensford Alluvium Fynbos vegetation, which could have been badly affected by sediment washing onto the area. In addition, it has halted sediment contamination of the Lourens River, part of which runs through the estate. This is the only river in South Africa where a section of adjoining land is a Protected Natural Environment.