Amid the human and economic tragedies wrought by the KZN floods, there was cause for some celebration last week when rising floodwaters broke open the mouth of the Lake St Lucia estuary.
There was a palpable sense of euphoria among many residents of the far northern KwaZulu-Natal village of St Lucia as they watched millions of litres of fresh water pouring out of South Africa’s biggest estuarine lake earlier this month, followed by a major influx of salt water from the Indian Ocean.
Social media platforms were abuzz with “thumbs up” and “awesome” emoticons as locals, anglers and tourism operations congratulated the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority and civic leaders for finally removing a berm of sand which had blocked the lake mouth for several years.
Some tour operators said they were worried that boat-based hippo and crocodile watching tours were under threat unless the mouth was breached to reduce muddy water sediments and reed growth after a prolonged period of mouth closure. (Photo: Tony Carnie)
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Located about 50 kilometres from the Noordoewer border post that separates Namibia from neighbouring South Africa, Aussenkehr has vast vineyards that stretch as far as the eye can see.
Surrounded by a semi-desert area, the vineyards thrive only because of a plentiful supply of water from the nearby Orange River, which forms a natural border between the two countries. Set against the harsh, brown terrain, the verdant vineyards which have grapes that can be harvested three to five weeks earlier than elsewhere on the globe seem alien compared to southernmost Namibia’s dry and harsh landscapes.
The highest average temperature in Aussenkehr is 34°C in January and the lowest is 20°C in June. The area gets an average of annual 262mm of rain.