The Cape Leopard Trust is turning its attentions to the Eastern Cape to study the free roaming predators in the province and they need help!

South Africa (06 March 2024) — The Cape Leopard Trust (CLT) is calling on residents of the Eastern Cape to help them start monitoring wild leopards in the province. They are even hosting a competition to boost engagement.

The Trust is a non-profit that has worked hard to conserve the wild spaces these free-roaming predators call home, working with farmers and the public to ensure their safety.

The leopard is the last large predator and the last member of the Big 5 to still roam free in the Cape provinces. The species faces multiple threats, including limited and fragmented habitat, reduction in prey numbers and high levels of conflict with people.

“Have you ever seen a leopard or any field signs of leopards in the Eastern Cape? We’d love to hear from you if you have – you’ll be contributing to important leopard research and you stand a chance of winning some awesome prizes to boot!”

The CLT leopard database collects information on leopard activity and threats to leopards from across the Cape provinces. Over the past 3 years, this database has collated thousands of records – thanks to fantastic contributions from citizen scientists, researchers, and partner organisations. Currently, most data points are from the Western Cape, but in 2024 the Trust is setting its sights on expanding leopard knowledge in the Eastern Cape.

In 2023, the Cape Leopard Trust partnered with Jamma International, Panthera, and Nelson Mandela University to support PhD student Silindokuhle Tokota. His work focuses on the status of and threats facing leopard populations in the Eastern Cape. Over the next couple of months, the CLT invites leopard records from across the Eastern Cape to be submitted to our database. These points will contribute to Silindokuhle’s research and shed light on an understudied area for leopards within South Africa.

What exactly is CLT looking for?

They are seeking all verifiable observations of leopards and their field signs in the Eastern Cape from 2010 onwards.

Leopard sighting records can consist of camera trap photos, photos of leopard signs (i.e. spoor/tracks, scats/droppings, scratch marks on trees, feeding sites) and photos of direct leopard observations (i.e. visual sightings).

The team needs a photo, date as well as a location point for each record.

How to submit your records and enter the competition:

Go to app.capeleopard.org.za and follow the steps to create an account.

Each data point must be submitted individually to the online portal, so if you have multiple observations to share or prefer to contribute via email, please contact research@capeleopard.org.za

You can find all the details about the competition via the Cape Leopard Trust website.

Sources: Cape Leopard Trust – Linked Above

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So many office items ended up as waste or in landfills, during and after the pandemic. But what would these items look like if instead, they had a second chance at life? The upcoming UPCYCLE exhibition is gearing up to give us a look:

Cape Town, South Africa (05 March 2024) — The spaces we work in have changed greatly in the past four years. But, so has our relationship with the biggest space of all—the planet we call home. Merging these two ideas and inviting us all to be freely inspired by them, is the UPCYCLE Exhibition, set to pop up in Cape Town next month.

The exhibition’s organisers believe that the working world has massive potential to join in on the circularity movement—ie: the upcycling movement which gives waste a chance to be reworked into treasure.

Reconfiguration of the workspace in the post-Covid world has led to a mounting tide of discarded office equipment and furniture that either lazes around in storage, ends up on an over-supplied second-hand market, or worse—in landfill.

But, with clever designers and artists playing a critical role in imagining new possibilities for the things that fill up our spaces, hopes are hot that creative change can make an important dent in influencing the corporate world to get on board with the conscious world.

The UPCYCLE exhibition then, is on a mission to tackle the bigger issues of sustainability and regenerative design through the vehicle of unbounded creativity. Not limited by function and challenged to create a thought-provoking spectacle that will ignite powerful conversation, a select group of designers and artists have been tasked with breathing bold new life into discarded office equipment and furniture pieces.

Among the exhibition’s participants are Congolese artist Patrick Bongoy, sisters Viveka and Rucita Vassen of Ananta Design Studio, Nisha and Justus van der Hoven of Hoven Design, Laurie Wiid of Wiid Design, Amaury Watine, who is the Creativity and Innovation Director Tétris EMEA, Adrian Davidson.

The exhibition will be open to the public at Makers Landing at V&A Waterfront on 19 and 20 April 2024. On Friday 19 April, design students will be welcomed for a special student-focused day, and on Saturday 20 April there will be a free curated walkabout with the artists and designers at 11h00. 

Get ready to explore the future of the workspace!

• Date: 19-20 April 2024 
• Venue: Makers Landing, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
• Opening hours: 10h00-21h00, Friday-Saturday
• Cost:  Entrance to the exhibition and Makers Landing is free
• Parking: Secure paid parking is available at Makers Landing

Sources: Supplied

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Not only are the ‘Granny Grommets’ legends in the world of rookie wave catching, but they’re also playing their part to keep our beaches beautiful in a big way!

Buffalo City, South Africa (05 March 2024) — In the Eastern Cape, the Granny Grommets who frequent Nahoon Point Nature Reserve ‘Corner’ are legends in the world of rookie wave catching. Every Friday morning, the Granny Grommets—a community of women who are all over 50—unite to boogie (with their boards), catch waves, and ride the idea that being over 50 is by no means indicates its time to stop learning new things or making new friends (and having fun while you do).

 

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A post shared by Nahoon Granny Grommets (@nahoongrannygrommets)

Started by Lee-Ann Lavender and Julie Schroeter, the local ‘Grommets’ (which refers to being a newbie in surfing) are just as inspiring as their global counterparts. Yes, you can find Granny Grommets in other parts of the world, like Australia. But, whether they’re near or far, the ‘Grommet Movement’s ‘message of kicking stereotypes in the ass is spreading. And, it’s inspiring many people to make having fun a much bigger part of the sunset years. In fact, some Granny Grommets have even inspired children’s books in their honour, like ‘Granny Grommet and Me’ by Dianne Wolfer!

However, in exciting news for the local ladies and their larger Eastern Cape community, they are doing their part to help their favourite beaches get their blue flag status by adding beach clean-ups to their Friday Fun.

This, to support community clean-up volunteer organisation Tidy Towns Buffalo City, and inspire more people to do their part for the public spaces that make so much joy possible.  Not only this, but the Granny Grommets have decided to sponsor Tidy Towns Buffalo City volunteer, Phineas Chisanga who helps look after Nahoon Corner, per Green Ripple.

A fun-loving community spreading a fabulous message and change for the environment? We know exactly what group we’re signing up to when we hit 50!

Sources: Various (Linked Above)

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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This World Wildlife Day, we look at how South Africans can join in the fight to save our beautiful country’s wildlife.

South Africa (03 March 2024) – World Wildlife Day is an annual event observed on March 3rd that aims to raise awareness about the world’s wild animals and plants and the need to protect them. If you live in a city far from natural wildlife, you can still be a part of celebrating and acknowledging this special day. Here are a few ways how.

Educate yourself

Taking the time to learn about different species of wildlife and their challenges is key to driving change. Raise your voice in support of wildlife!

Support conservation efforts

Often even supporting just one species will have a ripple effect. For example, the rhino, which is known as an ‘umbrella species’, represents much more to the environment than just being a member of the Big Five. It forms an integral part of an entire habitat that supports many different creatures, from insects to the symbiotic relationship the rhino has with, for example, the Oxpecker.

Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) needs support of its efforts to ensure the continued survival of an animal that remains the target of poachers for its most valuable asset – its horns. They fundraise to raise awareness and educate communities about rhino poaching, and assist teams from the EWT involved in anti-poaching efforts across the country. This includes their K9 unit which deploys detection and anti-poaching dogs to trouble zones to assist rangers and other enforcement teams in their work to try and prevent poaching incidents.

How you can help rhinos

One means to support rhino conservation is through Relate Bracelets, which is a non-profit that raises funds to support charitable causes by selling themed bracelets, and offers regular people an opportunity to support the conservation of these animals by buying themed bracelets. Relate Bracelets’ CEO, Dalit Shekel says: “It’s not enough simply to make and sell something without meaning or context.”

“You can also make a real difference as an individual by advocating for policy change. Get involved in advocating for policies that protect wildlife and their habitats. This can involve writing to elected officials, signing petitions, or participating in campaigns organised by conservation organisations,” says Shekel.

Teach children about wildlife conservation

Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage, which is a wildlife orphanage and environmental education centre, places a strong emphasis on children’s education about wildlife. The Hoedspruit-based non-profit recognises the vital role of educating youth in ensuring a sustainable future, and actively involves children in their wildlife education programmes.

Michele Merifield, Co-Founder of Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage says: “Through these initiatives, we aim to cultivate a generation that is conscious and committed to preserving nature. This gives local children access to their rich natural heritage. We encourage others to join the mission to raise a generation of passionate ecologists and to make South Africa a better place for all.”

Through the combination of the bush school and the wildlife orphanage, Daktari has developed an immersive educational experience for local children to learn about the wildlife around them, the environment, anti-poaching initiatives, and a wide variety of other issues, right in the middle of the bush. The work extends into the local community through ECO Club at the secondary schools, outreach campaigning in several schools, and other community development projects.

Elephants need our help too

Elephants are recognised as a “keystone species” meaning that they define the entire ecosystem they are a part of. If the species were to disappear, no other species would be able to fill the ecological niche left behind. Best case scenario, the entire ecosystem would be forced to change in dramatic ways or worst case, cease to exist altogether.

These are some of the elephants’ contributions to the overarching ecosystems:

One single African Forest Elephant is estimated to be worth more than US$ 1.75 million in carbon offsets. This means that a single African Forest Elephant is effectively undoing emissions from 2,047 petrol cars for one year! Adding to this, African Savannah Elephants may distribute seeds farther than any other land mammal (up to 65km), they also play a significant role in maintaining tree diversity and seed banks across the landscape.

Elephants are the architects and ecosystem engineers of the African wilderness. As Africa’s largest land mammal, they help to conserve large areas of landscape by forging corridors between islands of wildlife safe havens. We can’t afford to lose them, or the habitats they need to thrive. Elephant conservation is not an African issue, it is a worldwide issue.

Elephants Alive has identified several landscape-planning elephants. These trailblazers connect four countries: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Eswatini. Some elephants travelled from the Kruger National Park in South Africa all the way through southern Mozambique and back into Tembe National Park in South Africa, through Eswatini, before finally returning to Kruger! Others went East towards the Futi corridor and to Maputo Special Reserve on the south-eastern coast of Mozambique.

Travelling close to 3000km, these elephants have indicated a major natural migratory route in need of protection. Without this corridor, the nature reserves would be mere isolated islands. It also indicated potential high-conflict zones where the elephant corridors overlap with densely populated human settlements.

Dr. Michelle Henley, CEO of Elephants Alive: “These elephants’ movements are our call to action to not only understand their spatial requirements but to urgently work towards ways to make people’s livelihoods compatible with conservation outcomes so that coexistence and connected landscapes can prevail.”

Elephants Alive works together with rural communities to develop and implement solutions to turn human-elephant conflict into co-existence, by ensuring people’s safety and food security in areas where elephants are moving outside of nature reserves and creating linkages between Protected Areas.

Remember, every action, no matter how small, can make a difference in protecting and conserving wildlife for future generations.

Sources: Supplied

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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A donation of R1 million has been given to Goodbye Malaria in an effort to combat the deadly disease in Southern Africa.

Cape Town, South Africa (01 March 2024) – Relate Bracelets, a dedicated non-profit organisation based in Cape Town, is happy to announce a significant milestone with a donation of R1,000,000 to Goodbye Malaria, marking another step forward in the relentless fight against this deadly disease. Since its inception, Relate Bracelets has proudly raised just under R14 million for this cause, showcasing the collective power of the community and commitment to making a tangible difference in fighting this disease.

Relate Bracelets is a proudly 100% not-for-profit social enterprise which makes and sells handmade beaded products to raise money for charities globally, while creating jobs for people in low income communities. The non-profit is a social enterprise, which works towards providing solutions to some of the biggest problems in South Africa. It’s a business and does not rely on donations, but raises money for charitable causes.

Goodbye Malaria is an initiative to eliminate malaria, a preventable disease that kills a child every two minutes in Africa.

CEO of Relate Bracelets, Dalit Shekel says, “Malaria accounts for one in twelve global deaths in children under the age of five. Eighty percent of annual malaria deaths are among African children under five. The scourge continues to be a significant health concern for Africa, with the region accounting for 95% of global malaria cases and 96% of all malaria deaths.”

The partnership with Goodbye Malaria aids in accelerating interventions and innovations to malaria elimination in Southern East Africa. During the 2022/23 campaign, integrated vector management was conducted in a total of 22 districts in 3 provinces in Southern Mozambique, with an additional 8 mobile surveillance units positioned at key eastern border regions of South Africa. The results include over 4.2 million lives protected from malaria in the MOSASWA (Mozambique, South Africa and eSwatini) region.

Shekel says, “It is an honour and joy to collaborate with Goodbye Malaria, uniting our efforts to safeguard vulnerable communities, particularly women and young children, from this deadly disease. While we are celebrating this milestone, we’re also filled with anticipation for the greater impact we aim to achieve in the coming year. Our partnership embodies our shared commitment to turning the tide against malaria, and I’m profoundly inspired by the difference we’re making together”

Goodbye Malaria is the brainchild of passionate and concerned African entrepreneurs who’d seen the devastation of the disease on the continent. The social benefit organisation collaborates with world-class partners to end Malaria, including the Global Fund, private organisations, and the governments of Mozambique, South Africa and eSwatini.

Goodbye Malaria’s Marketing Manager, Kiri Rundle says, ‘Malaria holds back economies, communities, and families, with women and girls bearing the brunt of this impact. When we fight to eliminate malaria, we improve economic growth, advance gender equality, and bend the curve of poverty’.

‘The only way to combat this disease is together, this innovative partnership allows us to make an impactful difference on the ground and in malaria endemic communities, while driving societal transformation and empowering the crafters behind each bracelet’, Rundle adds.

Sources:  Relate

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Three conservation heroes share their hopes of getting more children involved with nature, creating a generation that is hooked on nature.

South Africa (29 February 2024) – When Patlego Machete lived with her grandmother in rural Mpumalanga, she couldn’t wait to escape to the bright city lights. It was only years later that she realised the bush had always been calling her back – and now she is imparting this rekindled passion for nature to children as a conservation facilitator at Good Work Foundation (GWF).

As we celebrate World Wildlife Day on 3 March, Patlego and other young conservation champions wish to drive home the importance of educating children – as future custodians of our natural heritage – about conserving wildlife and caring for the environment.

Patlego’s journey may have since come full circle but, as a young village girl, “I wanted a different kind of life – I envied the city life. I needed to go and find myself,” she reminisces.

After matriculating, she had hoped to become a chartered accountant but was not accepted into college. Then she heard about GWF’s Conservation Academy and decided to enrol, not really knowing what it was all about.

“Three months down the line, I fell in love with nature – it was insane!” laughs Patlego. She would stop to identify rocks as she walked home, eliciting curious stares – “and that’s when I realised this is for me”. Accounting was history!

Today, Patlego is a qualified GWF conservation facilitator who loves taking schoolchildren into the bush on educational game drives. She says they get so excited seeing lions, zebras, wildebeest and elephants for the first time – even though they live close enough to these wild spaces to throw a stone in there, most have never had the opportunity to visit a game reserve because of affordability.

“If you have a dream, it’s better to go for it than to just do nothing and feel sorry for yourself. My dream came true, and I’m grateful for the risks I took and the people who helped me along the way.”

Neo finds her groove as a game ranger

Neo Mnisi, another GWF conservation graduate who works as a ranger and guide at Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve, was hooked on the great outdoors from an early age.

Neo grew up with her grandmother in rural Bushbuckridge, where life was tough. “When the rivers were full [and impassable], there was no going to school, even though I was a top student, getting 100% for my Natural Sciences tests. Sometimes, I would go to school with no lunch.”

Her career aspirations were put on hold when she fell pregnant at 18. To make ends meet, she took a job packing macadamia nuts on a farm. Years later, a glimmer of hope arose when she moved to Tshabalala village near Hazyview and learned of the opportunities offered at GWF.

Despite a decade having passed since school, Neo took the plunge and enrolled at the education non-profit’s Bridging Year Academy in 2020, and after that its Conservation Academy. “I’ve always loved reading and learning, so for me it was easy to go back to school,” she declares. “And I love nature.”

Thanks to GWF’s network of hospitality contacts, Neo landed a job as a transfer driver at Sabi Sabi. “They gave me a chance, enabling me to gain confidence as a driver. My driving improved a LOT in those first three months!” Neo then became a trainee ranger and, in February 2024, she qualified as a ranger.

“I get goosebumps when I think how much I love my job – it’s so amazing to see the faces of guests when they see an elephant for the first time in real life, not on TV. Some of them start crying,” she says, adding that she enjoys teaching children in her village about different bird calls and the importance of not harming wildlife.

“We should respect nature, and nature will respect us. Animals are dying because we are building everywhere and limiting their movement. We need to protect nature and wildlife and preserve it for future generations, otherwise they won’t know about their natural heritage.”

A conservation hero who never rests

Zuzumuzi Gumede, a facilitator at GWF’s Conservation Academy who has also worked at the Open Learning Academy, is a natural teacher who thrives on activity. “My favourite animal is an elephant – because elephants are always busy, moving around and doing something. They seldom rest.”

This animal lover was named a conservation hero during last year’s Extra Mile trail run (an initiative of the More Community Foundation) that passes the GWF’s campus in Huntington village – small wonder, as his passion for bringing conservation to life for young people is plain for all to see.

“There are a lot of issues related to human conflict with the natural environment, like poaching,” he says, explaining his passion for kindling a love of nature in young people.

“The natural environment is part of us as human beings – without it, we are nothing. It’s our duty to protect and sustain it. If we damage our ecosystems, humans are the next to be damaged. So we should learn to conserve our environment so it can sustain itself,” says Zuzumuzi.

Sources: The Good Work Foundation

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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South Africa’s Impofu wind farms, the largest private renewable energy project, set for construction after years of planning and community collaboration.

South Africa (29 February 2024) – In a significant stride towards sustainable energy, South Africa’s landscape is set to embrace its largest private renewable energy plant yet.

The Impofu wind farms, nestled in the picturesque Kouga region of the Eastern Cape, have been granted the green light for construction, marking a pivotal moment in the nation’s renewable energy journey.

Scheduled to commence in March 2024, the construction of three 110-megawatt (MW) wind farms signifies a monumental leap towards a greener, more sustainable energy future. The project, spearheaded by Red Cap Energy, not only highlights the commitment to renewable resources but also represents a collaborative effort between stakeholders and the local community.

Jadon Schmidt, the Business Development Manager at Red Cap Energy, reflects on the journey leading to this milestone, saying, “Since 2013, we’ve signed up 87 separate parcels of land for the powerline and spent years negotiating with farmers to lease land on which to build wind turbines.”

Local landowners have played a pivotal role in the development process, showcasing a remarkable spirit of cooperation and foresight. Vernon Basson, owner of Vergaderingskraal, recounts his involvement, emphasizing the importance of leveraging local knowledge to navigate the intricacies of the landscape.

“The whole process has been pretty smooth,” says Basson, reflecting the community’s enthusiasm and commitment to sustainable development.

The Impofu project’s significance extends beyond energy production, fostering economic growth and sustainability within local communities. Xolile Peter Lamani, Chairperson of the Reebok Rant Worker’s Trust, speaks of the tangible benefits derived from the project.

“The extra income from the turbines is going to help us keep our livestock healthy and deal with drought during the summer,” says Lamani, highlighting the transformative impact on livelihoods and agricultural resilience.

Despite encountering challenges along the way, including environmental considerations and logistical hurdles, Red Cap Energy’s unwavering commitment to sustainability has remained steadfast.

Red Cap Energy’s pioneering efforts in renewable energy development have set a precedent for future projects, reinforcing their commitment to driving positive change in the energy landscape. With a wealth of experience and a steadfast dedication to sustainability, Red Cap Energy and many other incredible Renewable Energy projects in South Africa continue to pave the way towards a brighter, more sustainable future for generations to come.

Sources: Red Cap 

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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World scientists will be spending several days in the Kruger National Park, sharing ideas and working to support global conservation efforts.

Mpumalanga, South Africa (28 February 2024) – Kruger National Park (KNP) will once again host world scientists, researchers and Protected Area Managers at the 21st Annual Savanna Science Network Meeting, which will take place from 3 – 7 March 2024 in Skukuza.

“The park will host 208 delegates representing 80 different scientific and conservation organisations from 25 countries. 99 of the delegates will be from South Africa, representing 30 institutions ranging from national and provincial government departments, academic institutions, research, NGOs and conservation agencies. The meeting will also be streamed live on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@savannasciencelivestream335” for those who would like to take part online; said SANParks Acting GM: Savanna Research Unit, Cathy Greaver.

Many topical issues in ecological and social sciences will be covered during the four days’ presentations and posters. There is a range of sessions covering various topics and these include:

• Classic ecological themes like studying ecological patterns (e.g., animal space-use patterns, large-scale biodiversity patterns),
• Understanding ecological processes (e.g., erosion, predation, plant recruitment, herbivory, fire, disease, decomposition)

This year’s program includes presentations on cultural heritage, tourism, human-wildlife conflict and co-existence, as well as the Wildlife Economy and Wildlife Crime. Presentations on cultural heritage, tourism, human-wildlife conflict and co-existence. This reflects the incorporation of expertise from diverse fields to assist in attaining conservation goals.

In order to provide a sound scientific platform from which to address the knowledge needs to manage biodiversity and protected areas in a changing world, SANParks scientists engage and collaborate with a wide range of national and international scientists, research partners and funders. A mix of basic and applied research, spanning the biophysical and social domains, strengthens research and monitoring efforts and builds stronger and deeper knowledge of the savanna systems. The close interactions between academics and park authorities facilitated by this meeting are key to promoting proactive evidence-based decision-making and directing research to address priority conservation management needs. The meeting has always valued capacity building, and as such students share the platform with world-renowned savanna scientists from across the globe.

“The idea for the Savanna Science meeting came about when a small group of scientists working on river related issues in KNP, reflecting on the impacts of the 2000 floods, started thinking that a small meeting held annually to share research findings with management, might be very useful. The scope and participation of these meetings grew quickly to include Savanna related research and delegates from many countries and organisations. This meeting is now considered the premier international savanna science conference covering socio-ecological research taking place in savannas across the globe. The conference format allows for dialogue and discussion on ecological science and conservation matters, both formally and informally in a spectacular venue, shaping our collective understanding and seeding future research collaborations and projects to fill key knowledge gaps”; concluded Greaver.

Information on the SANParks Scientific Services is found on the link below: https://www.sanparks.org/conservation/scientific_new/

Sources: Supplied

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

The post World Scientists Are Assembling in South Africa to Discuss Conservation appeared first on Good Things Guy.

What do mannequins, art, environmental activism and a passion for humanity all have in common? Artivist Natania Botha and her incredible story:

Global (26 February 2024) — Looking back on it now, artivist Natania Botha’s first important encounter with mannequins was a nuanced note of foreshadowing. Of course, she hardly knew then that one day, the humble task of dressing mannequins at a local retailer would later spark something possibly world-changing—both for the artist and the environment she’s dedicated her life to. But, no good story ever begins with a clearly paved path.

A Backstory Beginning in Brits

A teenager in her hometown of Brits, Natania moved into the ‘real world’ quickly after life’s responsibilities thrust her into the workforce. She had to leave school behind and pick up a job, which meant finishing up her education at night. Said job happened to be at Woolworths, where Natania first met her future canvases—mannequins.

Natania notes a connection to the objects we so often take at surface value. For her, they were and are a “symbolic reflection of the human form.” Not only would they eventually become an imperative part of her craft, but her time at the retailer taught her a unique appreciation for a key seed: visual representation.

Says Natania, “The act of transforming store displays became a canvas for my creativity, laying the groundwork for future endeavours.”

At 19, Natania left Brits behind to make her way to the big city—Pretoria. This was her leap into a new world, a corporate world where once again, inklings of the future presented themselves in subtle ways.

Working in sales as a manager, she was afforded the opportunity to travel and connect her to different ways of life and experiences of humanity, another key seed.

With these two key experiences seeded in her soul, a walk on the beach in Durban’s bluff would plant the third pivotal seed moment and the one that catapulted everything into action.

The Impact Years

“As I strolled along the beach, I was confronted with a distressing sight—the shoreline blanketed in plastic waste,” Natania recalls of the life-changing moment in 2017.

An immediate resolve was spurred in her to address the environmental crisis in front of her, and so she initiated all her might to mobilise resources and citizens and raise awareness.

Natania’s efforts mattered. In fact, they became a movement big enough to earn her recognition from the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA), followed by her later appointment as the Head of Membership.

Her role as an environmental and social change activist had taken form, and soon her touch began to weave its way all over the country and into rooms with global communities of environmental doers and thinkers.

Natania became a voice for South Africa when she represented us at the Africa Youth Conference in 2018 and a crafter of the future when she helped launch the Sustainable Development Goals Classroom.

By 2020, she had sculpted her position in South Africa’s green entrepreneurship support through Indalo Inclusive. Here, she was the brain behind important building blocks for programmes, including a collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) focused on capturing on-the-ground environmental initiatives.

Her accomplishments in environmental spheres grew—she was one of the Mail & Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans and one of 12 Leading Women in CSI in 2021 among others—but these are only glimpses of the mark she’s made when it comes to both social and environmental upliftment.

Come 2022, Natania embarked on another massive journey to document the impacts of climate change for the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Climate Promise. This odyssey took her across the country as far as the Richtersveld, where she spent time documenting and filming the wonders and woes of South Africa.

While she affectionately notes it was not a journey for the faint of heart, it certainly brought about an unending appreciation for South Africa’s diverse landscape.

“The stars at night look so different when you do a cat scan of the universe,” she adds.

Putting the Art in Earth

With her role as an environmental thinker and leader imprinted on South Africa, Natania began thinking about different ways to share the messages guiding her path.

Connecting the dots between visual strength, humanity, the environment and her 2022 adventure, she became enthralled to water her passion for art—the ultimate medium for such multifaceted experiences.

Her voice and experiences married in the form of mosaic mannequins sculptured to the sounds of classical piano. One became 40, and 40 became her first collection—’Reflections of Resilience’.

Much like South Africa’s people and landscapes, the differences in the works —right down to the tiniest mosaic tile—unite them as a collective symphony Natania explains as her heart laid bare. Individually, there are broken pieces like tired parts of a heart working endlessly to restore nature and humanity. But together, they are visual resilience.

Her mannequin masterpieces—a kaleidoscope of colours and textures—you might’ve guessed, are fused with meaning. If you pay attention, you’ll find odes to David Bowie and William Yeats. But mostly, you’ll find an ode to the Earth, present even in her material choices.

“The very materials I utilise reflect a deliberate choice to counter the detrimental impacts of fast fashion…mannequins play a pivotal role in perpetuating this cycle,” the artivist explains, adding that by incorporating antiques like tea cups, vases and plates sourced from around the world and locally, she is able to breathe life into what would’ve otherwise ended up in landfills. 

‘The opus of the collection—The Last Correspondent’—stood as a plea to world leaders for transformation in eco and social justice—just as the mannequins had been transformed. Fittingly, it was presented to the United Nations upon completion.

But, Reflections of Resilience is also a call to all of us.

A prized set of pieces, art patrons, collectors or retail stores who wish to acquire the private collection would not just be supporting an incredible story come together at last but be part of supporting a new one, one that might just change the world.

Reflections of Resilience will be exhibited at Calisto’s Restaurants (Gillview, Goldreef City and Silverstar Casino) where dining spaces will also enjoy their role in transformation as they become immersive art galleries.

• Calisto’s – Gold Reef City – March, 1st – starting at 18:00 pm
• Calisto’s – Silverstar Casino – March, 7th, Starting time: 18:00 pm – This event is a dine-in experience, you can find out more here.
• Calisto’s – Gillview, the week of the 29th of March 2024.

Sources: GTG Interview 

Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google. 

Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

The post Mannequins Might Change the World: Artivist Natania Botha’s Story appeared first on Good Things Guy.

Stranded turtle hatchlings will start washing up along Western Cape beaches and they may not always look like turtles at first; this turtle was completely camouflaged by barnacles.

Cape Town, South Africa (26 February 2024) – Rescuers spotted a bit of sea debris moving while on a walk, curious, they looked closer and saw that it was in fact a stranded turtle hatchling covered in barnacles. They acted quickly and the little turtle was saved!

It is rescues like this that help the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation save as many turtles as possible. In the coming months, more and more of these little turtles will wash up along beaches.

Stranding season usually runs from March to July each year, so the Aquarium is encouraging beachgoers to keep an eye out.

Hatchling Season

The Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation started preparing for Turtle Hatchling Season back in January, and the first rescues will most likely arrive very soon.

So many of these hatchlings wash up on the Western Cape coastlines because when they are born on the Northern Beaches in KwaZulu-Natal, they make their way into the ocean and towards the warm Agulhas current.

If a hatchling is lucky, it will be carried by the Agulhas Current as it turns east off the coast of the Western Cape and out into the warm Indian Ocean. Unfortunately, this isn’t easy for the tiny hatchlings, and many of them are ejected from the Agulhas Current into the cold water of the Atlantic. This water is too cold for these hatchlings to survive. They get gradually weaker and weaker as they try to return to the Agulhas – an effort that is made increasingly difficult in bad weather, barnacles taking over the little body or if the turtle has been harmed by ingesting plastic pollution.

These weakened hatchlings inevitably wash up on the Western Cape’s coast, and without human intervention, they have no chance of surviving. We have a responsibility to help these animals.

The hatchlings that wash up in the Western Cape are all taken to the Two Oceans Aquarium. Once they have been rehabilitated and are healthy enough, they are released back into the ocean.

If you would like to help the team prepare, you can do so here.

Sources: TOAF

Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google. 

Do you have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

The post Heroes Spot Camouflaged Stranded Turtle Hatchling Covered in Barnacles appeared first on Good Things Guy.