Well-known local conservationist, Wendy Collinson Jonker, has sent us this press release.

24 September 2019 The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) is extremely proud to announce that two of its programmes, the Wildlife and Energy and Wildlife and Transport programmes, were recipients last night of the International Conference on Ecology and Transportation (ICOET) International Stewardship Award for their innovative and holistic approach to tackling the impacts of linear infrastructure, such as roads and power lines, on wildlife in Africa. The International Stewardship Award is presented to agencies or organisations that demonstrate, through the results of their actions, a cooperative effort to maintain or restore ecological function in the midst of transportation above the regulatory requirements. Lourens Leeuwner, EWT Wildlife and Energy Programme Manager, and Wendy Collinson, EWT Wildlife and Transport Programme Manager, won the prestigious award on behalf of the organisation. African economies are currently among the fastest growing in the world, and this is reflected in expansion plans for road, rail and energy transmission lines, with high concentrations of such projects slated to occur in environmentally sensitive areas. The EWT’s Wildlife and Transport and Wildlife and Energy programmes are working to address these environmental challenges, through putting plans in place to implement mitigation methodologies – one of the first African NGOs to do this. The EWT believe in a less siloed approach that combines all forms of transportation and energy, since these necessary modes usually coexist and have multiple negative impacts on biodiversity. “It is an honour to be nominated, it is an outstanding achievement to reach the finals, and an exceptional milestone and celebration of excellence to win one of these awards,” said Wendy Collinson. The Wildlife and Transport Programme has improved our understanding of the impacts of transportation-linear infrastructure, namely rail and roads, on wildlife over the last nine years in South Africa, establishing partnerships with relevant stakeholders to provide measures to reduce the impacts on wildlife, whilst the Wildlife and Energy Programme has been working in partnership with Eskom for the last 23 years, developing solutions to wildlife and energy infrastructure impacts. This partnership is internationally recognised as a leader in the implementation of innovative solutions to curb the impact of electrical infrastructure on wildlife. “Our results are not limited to ‘quick-fix temporary solutions’ but demonstrate sustainable products,” elaborated Lourens Leeuwner. “One of the EWT’s mitigation success stories has demonstrated that bird mitigation on electrical infrastructure reduces collision mortality by approximately 90%.” ICOET is a biennial international event that addresses the broad range of ecological issues related to linear infrastructure systems, namely, roads, rail and power lines. Experts from these fields gather at ICOET to share current research, quality applications, and best practises that can enhance both the project development process and the ecological sustainability of all these modes. The ICOET gala dinner took place in California, USA on Monday, 23 September, and celebrated the most outstanding contributions to ecological stewardship. Fraser Shilling of the Road Ecology Center at UC Davis, and the main organisers of ICOET said, “The EWT unites industry and wildlife impacts in Africa, working towards shared objectives, expanding knowledge, and understanding how to ultimately minimise the threat to wildlife.” The core supporters of the EWT’s Wildlife and Transport Programme are Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire, De Beers Group of Companies, Ford Wildlife Foundation, N3 Toll Concession, GreenMatter, and TRAC N4; the core project of the EWT’s Wildlife and Energy Programme is the Eskom/EWT Strategic Partnership. Both programmes are dedicated to minimising the negative interactions between wildlife and linear infrastructure.

CARE 4 PAWS DAY

 

This was one of the best and most emotional days we have ever had! Today, Laerskool Messina Primary and Bush Babies Pre-School made sure that animals in Messina who don’t always get a square meal, were taken care of!

Click on the images in the galleries to view them full-size.

We are awestruck at the amount of food that was donated and the amount of love, participation and caring which went into this project, from the whole community, teachers, learners, parents, grandparents and guardians. The principal of Messina Primary, Lucinda Vorster, also expressed appreciation for the generosity shown by everyone.

We have no words other than to say, “Thank you so so so much!”

If you understand it’s use, feel free to use this, with abandon.

No need to thank me…..

 

These are the new TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) donation boxes at both veterinary clinics (Limpopo & Savuti).

Please help, with a donation, there are so many strays in and around Musina.

Many thanks to both Dr. Suzanne Wohlitz & Dr. Heinrich Vollgraaff who are always available to help with sterilization. It costs about R300 per female cat and R200 per male cat.

Donations can also be paid directly to either of the veterinarian’s accounts, with the reference: Musina TNR. Please send proof of payment to ebekker@lantic.net. Also check out the Musina TNR Facebook (click on the link), page and see what has been done for the stray cats in Musina.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

Moral certainty is always a sign of cultural inferiority. The more uncivilized the man, the surer he is that he knows precisely what is right and what is wrong. All human progress, even in morals, has been the work of men who have doubted the current moral values, not of men who have whooped them up and tried to enforce them. The truly civilized man is always skeptical and tolerant, in this field as in all others. His culture is based on “I am not too sure.” -H.L. Mencken, writer, editor, and critic (12 Sep 1880-1956)

Just posted on the Messina Primary School page, news of two notable academic achievements by Messina Primary pupils.

Click on the link to the Primary School page in the list of contributors, to the left <<<<<<<<

These are results achieved by the Musina KSI in the Japan Karate Association competition, recently

Theunis Geyser in action

How will this nonsense affect Musina. Badly, surely?

Zimbabwe threatens to stop cross-border traffic with SA if xenophobic attacks continue

JOHANNESBURG, September 2 (ANA) – The Zimbabwe Cross Border Transport Association (ZCBTA) has warned that it will stop all South African cross-border transport if attacks by South African nationals on foreign truck drivers proceed.

“We have previously witnessed foreign nationals killed, assaulted and threatened without a single person being arrested or prosecuted,” he added.

South Africa has regularly made international headlines for the ongoing attacks on foreigners, mostly from Africa, which have included killing many, injuring many more, and destroying businesses owned by the foreigners, claiming they are stealing South African jobs and are involved in crime operations in the country.

– African News Agency

De Beers Group has provided a grant of R4 million to a Limpopo-based company in South Africa which is developing ground-breaking technology focused on reducing the global malaria burden, especially in Africa.

ERADA Technology Alliance is pioneering work on the world’s first ever saliva-based rapid test for diagnosing and identifying malaria, known as Saliva-based Malaria Asymptomatic and Asexual Rapid Test, to be marketed under the brand SALVA! – with the solution due to be launched globally during World Malaria Day in April 2020.

SALVA!’s innovative solution is easy to use and includes a simple device for standardised collection of saliva that can be performed in the community by healthcare professionals, teachers and parents, as opposed to invasive blood tests which must be administered by trained clinicians.

The funding forms part of De Beers Group’s long-standing history of supporting community and health projects and forming strategic partnerships to improve the lives of mining communities. While the grant is focused on providing particular benefits to communities in Africa, its impact stands to be worldwide in the fight against one of the deadliest diseases, which kills an estimated 435,000 people annually, mostly children from Sub-Saharan Africa under the age of five.

Gerrie Nortje, Venetia Mine General Manager, said: “Mining and exploration operations face a number of unique challenges related to exposure to widespread diseases such as malaria, emergency medical care and in some cases, a lack of available health services. Our funding of a local business that has the potential to transform the lives of millions of people worldwide is a logical extension of De Beers Group’s long history of supporting world and community health projects. We are proud to be playing a part in supporting the eradication of one the most pervasive and destructive diseases on the planet.”

ERADA Technology Alliance founder Dr Benji Pretorius, said: “This generous grant from De Beers Group makes it possible for ERADA to complete much of our vital preparatory work before we conduct field trials and finalisation of commercialisation of SALVA! The introduction of SALVA! is going to play a major part in achieving effective diagnostic testing and surveillance; as well as prevention and treatment of this disease, and therefore will be a major catalyst in meeting the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) 2030 target to reduce malaria incidence and mortality by 90%.

“Our vision is to bring to market as quickly as possible ERADA’s SALVA! diagnostic tool in the belief that it will go on to save literally millions of lives in the future. De Beers Group’s generous support is the foundation stone upon which we will make this vision a reality.”