PEEPLE of the Soil: Issue 6 by Peeple of the Soil

PEEPLE OF THE

SOIL AUTUMN / WINTER

2020 1

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section one: PEEPLE Mavericks - Cover Feature The Vaccine is African What the Hell is it that I Do? Son of the Soil: Dino Foi A Simple Man

section two: PAIN & JOY I Would Love Nothing More than to Sing Drowning in Grey Looking for the Remaining Good Crown

section three: EARTH Alien Invaders It Starts at Home Fashion and Sustainability Sodwana Bay Essential

CONTENTS

EDITOR’S NOTE Sibusiso Amos, Amaud Arbery, Sarah Baartman, Yolandi Badenhorst, Sandra Bland, Liesl Bredenhann, Adane Emmanuel, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray, Joyce Denise Irwin, Atatiana Jefferson, Collins Khosa, Martin Luther King Jr., Rodney King, Altecia and Raynecia Kortjie, Liesel Van Der Linde, Gladys Hanna Makaleni, Trayvon Martin, David McAtee, Marietjie Meyer, Petrus Miggels, Elma Robyn Montsumi, Uyinene Mrwetyana, Fatima Patel, Stacy-Leigh Philander, Nicola Pienaar, Tshegofatso Pule, Tamir Rice, Oluwatoyin “Toyin” Salau, Ntando Elias Sigasa, Reeva Steenkamp, Breonna Taylor, Emmett Till, Ahmed Timol, Rachel Dolly Tshabalala.

And many many others.

Cornel West, bell hooks, James Baldwin and Nelson Mandela all speak about how the only way we can effectively fight the unspeakable evils of imperialist, white supremacist capitalist patriachy is with radical love, a love that “always allows the suffering to speak”, that uplifts those who are treaded on and comforts those who are crying. Taken seriously, love is not some hippy-dippy nonsense, it is a radical philosophical and political practice that demands we treat ourselves and the Other as real beings with wants, needs, desires and flaws. Love sees you and accepts you while also always demanding better. So when we employ an ethic of love in this painful world, we love the player and hate the game so much that we will put our skin on the line for a better, fairer game. When we employ an ethic of love, we follow in the tradition of Abraham, Jesus, Buddha, the Prophet (PHUM) in addition to (with a more secular eye) Simone Weil, Emma Goldman, John Coltrane, Arundhati Roy, MLK Jr., Malcolm X, Chris Hani, Fanon, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Thomas

Sankara, Ma Brrr, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Ma Rainey, Miriam Makeba, Steve Biko etc etc. I invoke these names and many more firstly to show that there is a long, varied and continued legacy of manifesting radical love in the world and secondly to show that this love business is not for chumps. This ethic of love has lots of names all over the world but here we call it Ubuntu. So as such, we must always say the names of the victims of killings and lynchings because of the loveless systems we have running this world and by saying their names, we revive them. They must be remembered by us and we must remember the insurmountable pain each one of them experienced as well as the joy they undoubtedly felt when they smiled in the sun.

Nathi Dass Editor-In-Chief

TITLE HEADING HEADING TITLE words / text by Name Surname

Menis cum mo hos consimis, sat, sena dentem. Hente nonstravoc restessilic fui popubli casterum re, ubliissentes porum sidicav olibus itra publicuppl. Ox nonsilin videt; iam ori comac me mo vis vocchil iuscre pernum tanum ipsendac tus sa patifex nosto norebus ese inc rem, sena, quium avoltor teatquem iam. Upio, faut efec orte, se mor plistrum, tus. etrei cum iam eor locriorum macte ordieniaet vivatortem iptes caedi postem mant. Natum. Verit quam mentem aper adduc mo cotiam publina tilica publia ommorus pro hos hem, num traedem perunis sultilibunum in sendiu cora L. Milin Etra vivid nem ta, vem idiusum oculis esilius et num iam illabem di, corei se cotius. Ectum nem re adduciondam inguli senercentil vitil vehebulis effrend ienihicatiam tem derei comnihi, ste tus perem ines amdius, tandiur nisquidem det vessest arendam nenteatia se forae priocri piendam dium or auderem dinat vis aut nonononsuam di firips, tam inte audem pubi pessigilius? Nostabus et vis furit iu mius ocae quononsus, foret; nictus vid ia no. Solia? Ahabutus. Epse tarit, viu me consus conficeris num ocurors Catquam quam opubliu se ad re commoru nterus? Movessus horem atissil involudac te

comnos bone commoludam. Ote, Catum dem meridea confenatur ut re aperdii pari, quit L. Sent? Ompribunum issulocupici spies horum etroxim oenatu vidicatia ad pro, que nota, quem opublii senaterena patissa aces octum tat. Dentili cibusperit, perum sestatis publius. Elati, culis nimus octum, fac opor interob uniceps, quere, nihicie et C. Igit, consis. M. Ulica screhem terora? Molto viri condampopul hocchus, conscem nequisses inem noccit. Valin nos essilibut patum res comnon Etro am dem cupernum dit. Mulatio, sentra mactuus fuitarius hos et, caes? Satiliam inaris hordince milin de et; hoculicaeque est viriden trumunum ors Mari pate inatqui derurbitam atus actum Pala iae dissitatea derudes cates more ex nonclar idienis, ut L. Culoc orictorentem in noves Mullabemore non vit, consua corissesili pulvis, or anterim istresse adeo, faciissa vita, quemortium ist viu que nonos es ide hosteatus, Paliurb itastem, senaris essigna tinves sendiustrit. Ti. caequit firis ella contus re, ne inequitudesi popubis suloc, nerobsenam deffre intratis. Ime nondiem tam in dum ignat, octoraequit nequid culicerte nostis confeste prionit? Sedii inum quondit. Quo aut

PEEPLE

OF THE

SOIL AUTUMN / WINTER

PAGE 6

01 section one

PEEPLE

Cover Feature

MAVERICKS

Tanaka “Tvnvkv” Kawondera

I am 24 years old and was born in Harare, Zimbabwe. As a child, my family moved from country to country often. This exposed me to many cultures, people and experiences. From a young age I always enjoyed creating. I spent lots of time sketching and painting but not for the purpose of showcasing my work. It was something that came naturally and brought me joy. Art education was never something that was emphasised in the spaces I grew up in. I knew that I wanted to continue creating but making art your profession was something that was foreign to me. I was really good at maths and the sciences and with my creative background, architecture seemed like a good career path to follow. I graduated from college in May of 2020. My architectural education was very important in shaping who I am as a creative. It gave me the skillset to create anything I could think of and the ability to be critical during my design process. While architecture education allows me the freedom to experiment, explore and learn, the profession is more focused on efficiency and generating money. I knew I didn’t want to be stuck behind a desk for the rest of my life, so in my final semester I started thinking what the best version of my career would be.

I didn’t only want to be an architect. I wanted to be a painter, an illustrator, a furniture designer, a sculptor, a curator. I’m a strong believer in precedents and so I set out to look for mentors whose careers resembled the career I dreamt of. TINKER HATFIELD, VIRGIL ABLOH and MICHELANGELO. All three have 2 things in common; they have a background in architecture and they can all be described as mavericks. Maverick: an unorthodox or independent-minded person. This word resonated with me strongly and for the first time in my life I knew what I wanted to do with my life. In an effort to realise this vision for myself, I began focusing on my art and creativity. I did my first illustration this year in March. It wasn’t great but I forced myself to create something weekly. My earlier work was mainly focused on experimenting with digital illustrations but as I became confident in my abilities, I began embedding meaning and messages into my work. I have a lot of social commentary in my work and I like to use my art as a way to educate. I also believe in art as therapy and enjoy seeing the collective joy my work can bring people.

THE VACCINE IS AFRICAN words by Nonjabulo Malinga â&#x20AC;&#x153;So abundant is the gold which is found in his country that he is the richest and most noble king in all the land.â&#x20AC;?

such a big part of our identity, can we create or even be a modern-day Mansa Musa, can we rise? Could we be the vaccine?

- an extract from The Fortunes of Africa by Martin Meredith

The biggest struggle I face as a filmmaker and storyteller is trying to sell authentic African stories to Hollywood or anyone who is looking to buy. The first time I recall watching something remotely African on the big screen was the 2001 comedy film Mr Bones set in South Africa. A white Afrikaans man dressed as a traditional healer who is on a quest to find the lost prince of the fictional kingdom, Kuvukiland. Of course, the gag is that the traditional healer is a white man.

This is the caption on an ancient map remarking the wealthiest man who has ever lived. This man is not European, American or Asian, but he is African. His riches were so vast, when he visited Cairo on his way to Mecca, the flood of his generosity caused rampant inflation, ruining the value of money in the area for more than 12 years after his visit. There are so many astonishing facts about African history buried deep in its lush, powerful soils. The potential of the African spirit to pioneer, to innovate while carrying the burden of wealth others except for the majority of Africans have benefited from. Prince Hakim of Zamunda might have been fictional but Mansa Musa, the ninth king of the Mali Empire, is the genuine inspiration behind the handiwork of that character.

I pretended as if that did not bother me. I pretended as if the punchlines about Africans having lions as pets did not bother me. I pretended that whenever anyone from the western world tried to impersonate an indigenous African language, they reduced it to a series of cartoonish tongue clicks. People were creating a narrative that portrayed Africans as senseless and illiterate. That is also how they want us to see ourselves.

With the cyclical nature of history an endless debate among philosophers and historians, I wonder, can Africa do it again? Despite struggle being

In 1324 when Mansa Musa shook the livelihoods of the Egyptians by giving every holder of the Cairo

a magical African future. A future history that will again receive international attention. While some call it Afro-Futurism, I call it Coming to Africa. This is the African story that I am preparing excitedly to tell.

Court he encountered a sum of gold. He arrived in style with a large entourage and hundreds of camels carrying gold. Believe it or not, this man’s feet touched the flowing sands of the Sahara Desert, humanity beating through his chest, just like me. Just like you.

Here’s my first pitch: Imagine In war-torn Dar Es Salaam, a collective made up of people living on the margins attempt to liberate themselves and their community by collaborating on an open-source operating system for social change against the executive power used by the government. Pitch number two: Imagine an inclusive transport system that eradicates a sense of segregation created and perpetuated by Apartheid’s legacy. I am looking forward to sending complimentary tickets to tomorrow.

Amidst the CoronaVirus pandemic, the African continent received a lot of attention from the rest of the world because the virus was not infecting and spreading as quickly as it was anywhere else in the world. Civilisation’s most challenging questions have had an African answer. The earliest human fossils were found in Africa. The oldest and continually operating educational institution is African. So many of the hidden treasures and talents that western explorers sailed unfamiliar seas to take, belong and started in Africa. I despised studying history in school because I was never taught anything good about African’s past. No literature or references were prescribed to help me believe that a better present future was fathomable for an African child. After engaging with stories about Mansa Musa, I started entertaining the thought of an unbiased perspective on African history. This unbiased history provided me insight into the culture of greatness that has laid dormant since 1324.

In 2012, a list of the richest people in the history of humankind compiled by researchers for the US website celebritynetworth.com placed Mansa Musa at the top. This man is real. This history is real. Believe it or not, the vaccine is African. You just need to believe it to see it.

A deeper exploration of this good history will reveal a wave of new perceptions and understandings of

WHAT THE HELL IS IT THAT I DO? words by TheFatFemaleScientist

One of the ways I communicate my science is through spending my time volunteering at career and science fairs as well as science expos. Through my own experience, I have observed the lack of comprehensive career guidance in South African high schools. In fact, I do not recall being introduced to a career guide during my high school career, perhaps I could have learned about the interesting and vast field of biotechnology earlier in my life. Despite the fact that Life Orientation was supposed to serve as a career guidance introduction, the curriculum recycled popular and generic career options and often explained them in broad, uninteresting strokes, especially when it came to the science fields. My career goal, like many others, was to be a medical doctor. Then I realised that I did not want to spend seven plus years studying to be a medical doctor (little did I know that academia takes as long, sometimes even longer). I was an above-average student and was always overlooked for academic awards because let’s face it, why would they award a student with marks averaging at 60% when there is a straight-A student? Well, I believe we all work hard but not everyone’s hard work is recognised. From then I stopped

What is it that you do? A question I have been asked many times by my friends, family, and acquaintances. A friend approached me and asked me to be a part of their pan-African magazine. I was excited that he even considered me but then I asked myself, “What is it that I have to offer?” (A habit I have of forgetting the significance of what I do; the profoundness of who I am and the space I occupy in this industry). With a very shocked tone, he answered, “What! Come on bro, don’t be so self-defeating”. Think about the people who do not know what the hell it is that you do.” And it dawned on me that he, as well as many others around me, did not exactly know what I do, which I consider a disservice because in essence, I am a civil servant - scientists are civil servants. If their projects are funded by the government or are administered in a state-funded public university then it is the duty of the scientists to ensure that the science is relatable, understandable and accessible to the public.

“My friend was offering me a platform to perform my civil duty - to communicate my science to a large diverse audience.” 16

using three-dimensional printing (3-D printing). That is a mouthful and sounds very futuristic but it is simply the designing and making (using 3-D printing) of very small devices for growing fat cells in a specific shape (a spheroid). I am also TheFatFemaleScientist which is a double entendre because I am a fat body and I study fat cells. For most of my life, this word - fat - was used to bully me to make me feel lesser. I have reclaimed the word in my name because it is part of my identity. I am a black womxn in a male-dominated field, particularly a white male-dominated field. There are a few womxn present in biotechnology, let alone within my specific field. Biotechnology is the use of biological entities to make products to improve human life, my specific interest involves a combination of biomedicine and bioengineering.

looking for awards to validate my progress or how hard I had worked. When I applied to Rhodes University, I knew that I wanted to study biological sciences but I did not know specifically which field. In my final year, when I came closer to finding the answer, I applied for a 3-D printing internship at the Rhodes University Biotechnology Innovation Center (RUBIC) and this is where I was introduced to the world of 3-D printing and how it could be a tool to solve everyday lab problems. After the internship, I knew I wanted to be in a field that allowed me to develop my 3-D printing skills and my love for biological science. Fast forward 3 years later, I am in a field called biotechnology. So who am I and what the hell is it that I do? I am Khanyisile Buthelezi, a masters candidate at RUBIC. My research interests include the design and fabrication of microsystems for adipose spheroid tissue engineering

cancer, her cancerous cells were collected and used without her consent by her doctor (Dr Howard Jones). Henrietta Lacks’ cells, later named HeLa, are special because they act unlike many cells, they are virtually immortal. HeLa cells revolutionised and expanded the field of biomedical science and her story contributed to ethics in science (and still revolutionises till this day). These cells are important in my research and many others as they are used in biocompatibility testing, which in essence is testing whether or not materials/substances are toxic to cells. The entire field of biomedical science and I would not be as far as we are without Henrietta Lacks’ cells, her story is as immortal as her cells. Medical

My presence in science is transformative because a black womxn is expanding scientific knowledge. My presence in this field is, what K. Michelle would describe as, ‘shaking the table’ Throughout history, science has had a tendency of using the bodies, minds and creativity of black folk(most of the time without their consent or acknowledgement) to further scientific knowledge. The story of Henrietta Lacks is one of many stories where medical science uses the bodies of black womxn and treats them as lesser than and not deserving of respect or dignity. In the 1950s Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with cervical

science has come a long way since the injustice done to Henrietta Lacks but there is still a long way to go. With the most recent example of the two yt (white) doctors from France (JeanPaul Mira and Camille Locht) who got backlash after publically suggesting that the testing for a CoronaVirus vaccine should take place in Africa on Africans. They failed to see Africa as a hive mind with diverse people

crippled by colonisation, western/ Asian influence, and greed but rather saw Africa as a continent-size landmass filled with guinea pigs. What the doctors failed to understand was that WE ARE HUMANS and our consent to such studies is very important because without it we are reduced to lab rats- understanding that consent separates the human from the lab rat!

Science, medicine, engineering and technology cannot be true systems of knowledge without the inclusion of all people. The inclusion of black womxn is a method to mitigate the injustices done by those systems of knowledge. We can no longer have our stories, ideas, creativity, and resources be male-driven and whitewashed. We are slowly taking back the narrative by being present in all fields. The representation of black womxn in the sciences and many other fields is what the apple is to Eve - revealing.

SON OF THE SOIL: A CONVERSATION WITH DINO FOI words by Lwandy Mulhanga ‘Terra da Boa Gente’’ (Land of Good People), is the best way one could generally describe Mozambique. The nation is rich in culture, natural landscapes and blessed with the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. And to rival its magnificence, the people have a welcoming spirit which beckons tourists and passerby travellers. This is the same nation that raised this son of the soil, Dino Foi, in Inhassunge, Zambezia province.

an opportunity to further his degree studies at the Africa University in Zimbabwe, Masters in Taiwan and Doctoral degree in Hong Kong. 10 years later, Foi decided to establish his own empire after his exposure to the employment industry. The companies he established specialises in, amongst other things, production, processing and exporting of agricultural products. Foi also teaches at university level on the side.

Growing up

Making it Big

Growing up, he was not as privileged since his father was a tailor and his mother a stay-at-home mom which meant that he grew up in relative poverty, in fact he “started using shoes at the age of 8, meaning that I went to school shoeless for at least 3 years!”

Today, Foi is the CEO of El Patron Restaurant Lounge, a flagship restaurant in Mozambique. He also leads the CC Investimentos S.A., which ranks as the 36th largest Mozambican company according to KPMG’s list of 100 largest companies in Mozambique. And to top up his Jack of all Trades status, he sits in different boards ranging from banking, mining, telecommunications services, media, trading, charity and others.

Foi completed his primary education in Inhassunge and moved to Maputo to continue his secondary education which then enabled him to work with multinational companies. In 2002, he was offered

Foi presides the Tzu Chi Charity

the medical arm of our Foundation that runs a network of around 10,000 medical doctors in different specialties around the world.”

Foundation Mozambique (tzuchi. org) which has impacted many lives in Mozambique dating from the natural disasters that overwhelmed the nation such as Cyclone Idai.

Foi does not consider himself successful and it doesn’t bother him at all. Instead he considers himself quite clever and lucky which has led him to where he is today. He is also an active learner and attributes what he terms as his ‘slight success’ to his interactions with different people and the lessons he obtains from them.

“We are currently finishing the design of the reconstruction project that will entail 3,000 new houses, 23 schools, one university and possiblly a top tier hospital.” Tzu Chi Charity Foundation Mozambique works on four pillars, namely education, medicine, humanistic culture and charity. It was established in 1966 in Taiwan and initiated its Mozambican chapter in 2012. Volunteers form the fundamental part of the organisation.

“I look at all my options in everything and most of the time I use more gut feeling than pre-defined trends. I try to be surrounded by people that can teach me something, or those I believe to be smarter than me or more intelligent,” he says.

“Right now we have a volunteer’s medical doctor which is a signal that we will soon open our own chapter of Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA). This is

COVID-19: Leaving a Footprint in the Community

Vatican, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Lesotho.

He aims to inspire people to help those in need. Foi prides himself in how people help each other, not because they are well off but because it is a duty to fellow humanity. He aims to educate the rich about their role and duty to help the impoverished numbers of society

“We are more concentrated on frontline people, so we are distributing Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). We have distributed 60,000 surgical face masks, 30,000 gloves, 5,000 protection gowns and others plus, 40 tons of rice to the frontline, specifically those hospitals that have been chosen by the government to take care of the COVID-19 affected patients,” he says.

“I run an organization of approximately 3,200 volunteers, and I can tell you that 99% are illiterate and living on less than a dollar a day but they are willing to help others daily.”

Foi further states that his organisation plans to donate around 150,000 face masks, 130,000 gloves, Now the invisible foe, Coronavirus 25,000 rapid COVID-19 test kits, 8 (COVID-19), is posing a threat ventilators, 20,000 protection gowns, to humanity and like every other 10,000 isolation gowns, and more developing nation, Mozambique to frontline workers. More plans are is in need of aid more than ever. being devised which are inclusive To Foi, this pandemic has come to of helping with communication, change everything even though his raising awareness on the pandemic organisation has been working on and also distributing masks to the the issue long before its arrival in disadvantaged communities. Africa. Between January 2020 to March, 63,000 masks were already Other plans that have already purchased and distributed to the been put into action are donations

pandemic stronger. He also believes that family ties will be stronger and that this pandemic is a wakeup call that work is not everything and that family is the most important part of our life equation. Foi further states that social distancing brings new ways of seeing things especially with regards to his organisation. He has With this situation, of course there is an three years ahead of him to complete abundance of misleading and/or fake his reconstruction project and to look information. There have been rumors more into his organisation especially that the virus does not attack people from the medical side of it. of color due to the concentration of melanin as well as other ridiculous “We want to foster stronger bonds rumors. Thus Foi advises people to with our medical community as we get their facts right before concluding are aiming at opening a clinic where anything. Since Foi’s organisation the rich can subsidize the poor. You works with science and not rumors, will find that from time to time I bring they acted proactively and took rich versus poor. The point is that, for preventative measures the moment a stable society, these two extremes of the continuum line need to be they got their facts right. closer,” he says. The Way Forward Foi has a hunger for strength, “new Like every other individual, Foi blood” (people) and new ideas. believes that we will come out of this Him and his wife are currently the of different items to the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Gender: Women and Children, different local governments and relevant authorities in the medical arena, law enforcement, public transport drivers and conductors, journalists among many. So they are really into this.

This is the advice that Foi gives to aspiring business individuals and others that are already familiar with the industry. He further says that it actually helps to work for someone, gain experience, save up and go solo. A good role model and, if you are lucky enough, a mentor can make a difference. Choose a business model, see what you can add and how and then make a move. And of course, all that can be possible through planning. Yet, not everything is out of prior planning. There are overnight opportunities and do not forget to trust your gut feeling. Lastly, open your eyes and ears and speak less.

flag of Tzu Chi Charity Foundation Mozambique and he is not so keen on that. He needs more people to embrace the cause of the organisation, that way there is a distinguishable line between the Foi’s and Tzu Chi Charity Foundation Mozambique. A Wise Word “Work smart, not hard. There were times that people thought that working hard was the solution, and yet the current way of doing things expects us to work smart. I am not saying that working hard does not help, but there is more chance of success if you do things the smart way.”

Foi’s motto is “Live life correctly”. This means that even though one is human and is bound to make mistakes, he or she should challenge themselves everyday and not let their bad habits, bad mood and bad energy demote their human kindness and good side. 24

A SIMPLE MAN

words by Mothei Ngwenya and Simphiwe Nkosi There have been many questions regarding what a Simple Man is and how they behave in public. We will explore how a Simple Man is actually a true gentleman.

“A gentleman is one who puts more into the world than he takes out.” – George Bernard Shaw “A man who is a master of patience is master of everything else.”

The essence of a Simple Man is reflected in the way he walks, communicates, how he dresses and prepares himself before meeting anyone, how he treats women and how he presents himself. A Simple Man strives to impact other people with positive actions that will benefit those around him. A Simple Man stays true to himself, does not follow trends, is patient and remains humble, always.

– George Savile The Simple Man Group began as a conceptual content creator group, after recognising the lack of simple style for men in a complicated world. Simple Man Group noticed this gap in the market and have since strategically worked on various creative directions and designs that bespoke the modern classy African gentleman. Simplicity is defined as the quality or condition of being easy to understand or do. Therefore we, the Simple Man Group, have decided to come together to create a movement that expresses the essence of simplicity: in character, in manner, in style; in all things. Simple Man Group explores the ongoing quest of the modern man and encourages the modern man to “keep it simple but significant.”

Here are 7 guidelines by which a Simple Man lives:

does not matter because it does, a Simple Man will make sure they are a 100% from top to bottom. It is all about the details.

1. He is Always Happy to Serve. Whether it’s opening the door, picking up the bill, or merely calling a cab the next morning, a gentleman will always help as much as possible.

4. He Keeps His Word. His word is his bond and honour. 5. He is not deceitful, malicious or given to ignoble passions.

2. He never lets the rudeness of others affect his day

6. He is Not Self Centered. A Simple Man is never selfish, but ever kind and thoughtful.

3. He Sweats The Details. Anyone can put on clothes. It is the attention to detail that is important. Some style rules feel overly finicky/ uncreative but they do help create an overall good appearance, matching your belt leather to your shoe leather; wearing matching socks with outfit shoes; tying a knot that’s right for your collar; and don’t think your underwear

7. A Simple Man Will Own Up. He takes responsibility for the natural consequences of his actions. He will not run away because he understands emotional fealty and the value of commitment.

Simplicity is the act of erasing complexity to its greatest extent. Simplicity speaks and we tend to listen because it is concise and straight to the point. A modern classy man strives for simplicity. It is never too late to recast yourself as a discerning modern gent, as a Simple Man

02 section two PAIN & JOY

I WOULD LOVE NOTHING MORE THAN TO SING by Chameleon Q

I would love nothing more than to sing myself into delirium and plummet into my soul

But I lay here, suffocating in solitude, surrounded by a silence that makes the room smaller Perhaps weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re meant to melt in the burning cold

All the while, so cognizant of what is happening. My options: my decisions. I’m so exhausted Bask in glory or wallow in sorrow, it’s still happening and it is present…

Depression shows herself with a soft caress around the spine and eases into a whisper, “Let go….”

LOOKING FOR THE REMAINING GOOD by Omeez Jone “IAMOMEEZ” “Meez Is Not Dead”

pretty fed up”. The unfortunate part according to Meez is that the police and other law enforcement agencies are using Co-vid 19 restrictions such as curfews and quarantine measures as an excuse to exert more violence on those calling for justice. Thanks to social media, the world has bared witness to what seems like an unending movie titled 20-plenty of disarray.

In the photostory “Looking for the remaining good” Bay Area-based lifestyle photographer captured life under lockdown in the San Francisco Bay Area in the United States. Before the George Floyd protests on May 31st, Meez told P.O.T.S that the Bay Area was relatively calm but it was only a matter of time before the tension and confusion caused by Floyd’s brutal death would reach his parts of the country. “People are

creative partnerh@itsdelik started #YouNeedABalloon, an initiative to give strangers a balloon and put a smile on their faces. Being the founder of his own brand and blessed with the wealth of experience he has in an array of creative courses, freelance and offer workshops centred around his fields of expertise. Some of his most popular workshops include visual education, Instagram marketing & understanding, Photography, as well as Film & Creative conceptualisation.

Meez has witnessed first hand the power of visual storytelling through his photography and cinematography in hopes to inspire witnesses of his work to pursue their passions even during these tough times. Meez has always had a passion for sharing knowledge gained from his personal experiences and business ventures in multiple creative forms, such as film, photography, resume building, business strategy as well as brand building. Jones is passionate about building communities and believes that being knowledgeable is the step towards that. Meez with his

Here is a look at the good thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s left during probably the worst time in modern history.

Find out more at https://www.iamomeez.com/ or follow @IAMOMEEZ on Instagram

DROWNING IN GREY AREAS by Yamkela “Yams” Ntshakaza

‘’Faith – The things we believe to be true Religion – A lifestyle in response to that faith’’

the biggest belief system of them all. As a species, we are obsessed with consuming. Whether we are consuming food, fashion or faith, we are driven with the desire to constantly submerge ourselves in the world around us, but rarely in the world within. With this submersion comes the need to anchor ourselves in something or even someone we can always use as the standard to assess the value of other drugs and stimuli around us. With this compilation of photographs, I hope to highlight what people hold dear and what they religiously pursue in order for them to keep their sanity. Whether we know it or not, we all worship something. But what I find most troubling, is how most of us are not even aware of that.

What do people value? What is faith? What is religion? And if believing is in the core of both these â&#x20AC;&#x153;systemsâ&#x20AC;?, why arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t they considered the same thing? These are questions that have been pondered by many a soul. In fact, what is a soul? These are the people and places that became not answers, but constant reminders of these questions. Humanity frequently attaches intrinsic value to extrinsic and most importantly, tangible things: land, architecture, property, livestock, money, physical beauty, intimacy, and my personal favourite, music. Perhaps what all these depictions of faith and religion have in common is the fact that they fall under the same universal umbrella of Consumerism,

CROWN

by Nicole “Ms Rafiki” Rafiki

design, text, and photography to re-imagine and challenge the stereotypical depiction of spaces, contexts and the people affected by Global Migrations whether forced or voluntary. Her conceptual photography uses symbolism as a tool of engagement. She tells P.O.T.S that her work is bits and pieces of her biography as well as things she has seen and heard which she brings to life through her lens.

Crown by Congolese contemporary artist Nicole Rafiki speaks to the idea of womanhood particularly its definition in Africa. This photostory is inspired by a comment made by an elderly woman stating on national radio that “a proper woman has to be domesticated”. Whatever that means. Crown explores how such ideas of society play themselves out in the daily lives lived by Africans, particularly African women who are caught in between adhering to traditions and living a life they find fulfilling to them.

Her aim is to gradually heal from the wounds of exile and possibly inspire others who suffer from depression, survivor’s guilt or other post-conflict issues related to migration to do the same. Her work addresses the relationship between identity and place in the context of migration, particularly for women in transit.

Ms Rafiki is a contemporary fine artist based in Oslo, Norway. Born in 1989, Rafiki’s personal experiences with migration and exile are the driving force behind her work. As an interdisciplinary artist, she uses

03 section three

EARTH

ALIEN INVADERS words by Tshepiso Seboko environmental conditions for the potential survival and spread of many alien species as they tend to outcompete native species for resources such as water and nutrients, which results in cities being prone to biological invasions.

Invasive alien species (IAS) in urban environments are a growing concern due to their varied impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and human wellbeing. Urban area settings differ in their key characteristics including their size, shape and population density. Human-transformed or disturbed environments are heavily concentrated in urban areas, which makes urban cities alien invasive hotspots. Moreover, disturbance in urban areas provides favourable

Processes such as human disturbances, homogenisation of plant species, pollution, and pressure of IAS are synonymous with cities and towns. Highly populated areas such as China

IAS. This indicates that there is a longer border or direct interface between urban areas and the surrounding natural areas in larger cities. Residents in urban areas have IAS in their gardens, this can be threatening because these species are protected by residents for reasons such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;ecosystem servicesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; and therefore they are likely to spread and invade the surrounding natural areas.

have been found to have higher cases of IAS plants. These patterns have been attributed to historical economic and socio-political events including colonisation. Researchers around the globe have documented biotic homogenisation which is the process where native plant species are replaced with IAS plants. Species richness and abundance of IAS normally increases towards the city centre with specific habitats such as road margins, open spaces, and railway sites hosting several

Developing frameworks in the field of urban ecology and landscape planning view urban settings as

trade, horticulture, agroforestry, fuelwood and food, erosion control, stabilization of soils and improving soil fertility. The drivers of introduction and use of non-native plants are important for understanding the complexity and patterns of invasions which influence pathways for IAS. There are many introduction routes, vectors and pathways within urban areas, leading to a higher propagule pressure of IAS.

complex, adaptive, socio-ecological systems that are diverse and dynamic is important. Ecosystem functioning links people and ecosystems at various scales, as a result, the urban population has managed to forge relationships with IAS in the urban environment. It is estimated that land use and its footprint will continue to develop and expand in urban areas. Therefore, maintaining and protecting biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in urban settings appears to be critically important. Finally, successfully managing IAS that have both positive and negative impacts requires engagement with all stakeholders that are affected directly or indirectly.

Trade, traffic, ornamental horticulture and natural dispersal are the most prominent dispersal pathways for the introduction of IAS. Invasive alien species can be deliberately released for agriculture, horticulture and ornamental purposes, while some escape from private gardens. In South Africa, an assessment of spread rates of 62 IAS by Wilson and others indicated that IAS that were planted as ornamentals had spread faster than those used for other purposes. For example, many horticultural ornamental species become abundant and become established in towns. The trade of ornamental horticulture facilitates plant invasions due to frequent and repeated local introduction of IAS, and therefore selective breeding and promotion of species that adapt to climate change may result in increased establishment and spread in towns.

Invasive Alien Species Introduction and Pathways in Urban Settings The introductions and pathways of IAS are mostly driven and determined by anthropogenic activities and human needs. There are multiple factors that influence the extent of IAS in towns such as location, area, biodiversity, introduction histories and the desired functions of IAS by urban residents. Factors such as human uses influence the spatial extent and pattern of IAS in South Africa. Understanding introduction pathways of IAS is one of the crucial steps in addressing biological invasions. To date, there are several reasons for the introduction of IAS, namely, commercial

Studies have found a significant correlation between IAS risk models. IAS with longer residence times in the new environment are distributed

invasions. Management of IAS pathways is advocated by the International Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity Aichi Target 9; which aims to identify and prioritize IAS and pathways by the year 2020 as well as further control and eradicate IAS by adopting effective measures to control IAS pathways and prevent their introduction and establishment. Due to the risks and complications involved, understanding the pathways and drivers of IAS should be of great policy concern and should be at the centre of policy dialogue and priorities, particularly as it relates to management strategies.

more widely. The pre-adaptation to the environmental conditions of the invaded habitat is an important factor that promotes the establishment of species outside their native ranges. Propagule pressure also correlates with the risk of establishment of IAS at different stages of invasion success. Fodder and shade in the arid areas of South Africa and Australia were some of the main reasons for the introduction of the Propolis species. In other regions of the world such as Malawi, Sudan, India, Kenya and Spain it was introduced for dune stabilisation, the supply of fuelwood, fence contraction, rehabilitation of soils, and urban greening. Urban landscape features, such as roads, railways and rivers, are often considered corridors that facilitate and direct the movement of IAS between favourable habitats which then enables the dispersion and establishment of new IAS populations. More research is required to improve and understand the complexity of introduction pathways and how they interact with urban environments. In addition, spatial analysis of IAS can be useful for assessing the distribution and extent of IAS. Increasing development and demand for various commodities has led to pathway risk assessments being positioned at the forefront of mitigation strategies for biological

IT STARTS AT HOME words by Gladman Thondhlana environmental conditions for the potential survival and spread of many alien species as they tend to outcompete native species for resources such as water and nutrients, which results in cities being prone to biological invasions.

Invasive alien species (IAS) in urban environments are a growing concern due to their varied impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and human wellbeing. Urban area settings differ in their key characteristics including their size, shape and population density. Human-transformed or disturbed environments are heavily concentrated in urban areas which makes urban cities alien invasive hotspots. Moreover, disturbance in urban areas provides favourable

Processes such as human disturbances, homogenisation of plant species, pollution, and pressure of IAS are synonymous with cities and towns. Highly populated areas such as China

Home-based experiment for changing plastic waste disposal behaviour

subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control (Ajzen, 1991). Our interest here is on attitudes. Attitudes simply refer to a general measure of the favourability of a particular behaviour (e.g. plastic waste separation) for the individual. The intentions to engage in a speciﬁc behaviour can be increased when individuals exhibit a positive attitude to the said behaviour. But people may not act environmentally despite the intention to do so, if they are constrained, say through unavailability of support infrastructure (e.g. recycling bins). I am aware this is a simplistic way of looking at behaviour because behaviour is a complex phenomenon. People can behave differently to the same intervention or thing. For example, some people wear masks while others don’t, despite recommendations to do so during COVID-19 by health experts.

Plastic-based packaging remains a huge and important part in the distribution of goods and services worldwide. Furthermore, plastic waste is a significant global problem and presents an unprecedented challenge to solid waste management. The social and environmental costs of plastic waste are substantial and can be seen in visual pollution, death of marine life, blockage of drainage systems and outbreaks of disease. The benefits of minimizing plastic consumption and proper plastic waste disposal mechanisms are quite obvious but the main challenge today is translating these ideas into practice. In response to this, efforts have been rallied on understanding human behaviour as a basis for designing solid waste management interventions. In many cases, local city authorities have a mandate and are expected by residents to provide solutions in regards to the collection of waste in general and proper solid waste disposal. What happens at the disposal site (landfills) is unknown to many. Yet, understanding plastic waste disposal behaviour at the household is important because this is where the solid waste management chain starts.

My plastic waste disposal context I live in a setting where there are no facilities to separate waste. Ordinarily, the practice is to put all waste (plastic, paper, glass, tins, food you name it) in one bin. This bin is then transported to the municipal disposal site. I have visited the landfill site several times and all waste is disposed of there. I have seen building rubble, plastic, vegetables, paper, metal – the list is endless, at the landfill. What one cannot miss is the plastic flying all over the landfill and the random clouds of smoke from fires time and again. Without a waste separation facility, the easy thing to do is to not separate waste. Further, without any waste separation

Various theories are used as lenses for understanding and predicting behaviour, including the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). We won’t go into details but basically, the TPB argues that behaviour is directly influenced by intentions, which in turn are predicted by attitudes,

arrangements from the municipality side â&#x20AC;&#x201C; separating plastic waste sounds futile anyway right? This is the attitude that I and my family have developed over the years but in the past few years I have been thinking hard and tough about how I could change the situation.

adverse impacts of plastic. I think her and her classmates learnt at school about sharks being entangled in plastic but she kind of struggled to put this into perspective beyond sharks. As you can imagine, the COVID-19 lockdown has afforded me plenty of quality time with my daughter, and these conversations reached â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;boiling pointâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. What are we doing about it, was one of the

My 12-year-old daughter and I have had conversations about the

key questions? Well, nothing really – was the answer. So, the next question was how can we change our attitude towards plastic waste disposal in our household? To help us appreciate the magnitude of our plastic bag disposal behaviour we agreed that from 1 April 2020, all plastic, however form, size and shape, will be washed and kept in a different bin. In our view, we managed to separate about 85% of all plastic materials.

me, I remember. Involve me, I understand”. Our involvement in cleaning up and separating plastic waste has conditioned us into thinking about the potential impact of plastic waste disposal and in turn, the need to separate it in our home. Second, a clean and safe environment begins with us, not the municipality or government. We cannot entrust the future of our children in someone else’s hands. I do my part, you do your part – and the world is a better place for us and future generations.

The results and visual impression of the plastic waste we generated are PHENOMENAL and SCARY! Our household produced a fully-packed plastic bin and a half of plastic waste. My daughter and I started talking about how much plastic a family of five, could produce in a year. We started talking about the potential impact of plastic if families in our neighbourhood produced more or less the same amount of plastic waste and disposed of it in an environmental-unfriendly manner. We then went on to talk about what the impacts would look like if all the residents of Makhanda, at the provincial and national level behaved in the same way?

In conclusion, we think pathways to addressing many environmental problems such as plastic pollution lies, partly, in cultivating positive attitudes, which can in turn, develop individuals’ agency (intentional actions). Our smallscale home-based experiment, highlights the power of experience and observations in raising our (and potentially other people’s) appreciation of the magnitude of the plastic pollution problem, and in turn, engendering positive attitudes towards the environment. Glad Thondhlana is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Environmental Science, Rhodes University, South Africa. He has a key interest in promoting proenvironmental behaviour.

The impact of the visual impression of plastic waste generation, in our view, began to change our attitudes towards plastic waste disposal, even though we know our efforts may not yield significant changes given all the waste will find its way to the landfill. The message from our home-based experiment is not shrouded in academic jargon rather it is simple and straightforward. First, there is value in involvement, consistent with the Chinese Proverb “Tell me, I forget. Show

Haidee Nomufaro Thondhlana is Glad’s daughter and a grade 6 pupil at Victoria Primary School, Makhanda, South Africa. Photos: By Mazvita M. Thondhlana

FASHION AND SUSTAINABILITY words by Ellen Mpho Mosole

spontaneous however, the mass production of cheap, trendy clothing does have an impact on the natural environment. We are currently in a transition to a new type of fashion industry based on ecological and holistic principles.

Fashion and sustainability are two different things. Fashion is fun, sexy, addictive and electric. On the other hand, sustainability is about care, responsibility, slowness and consciousness. As a society, we have an abundance of clothes and textiles and yet despite this, we are not necessarily happier.

However, we are all individuals who have different consumer behaviours that are valuable to us. One may consider the ecological and ethical benefits of buying from an organic clothing store; however, another individual may consider the boost in self-esteem and self-image and the affordability when buying garments from a fashion company that is not regulated or fully supports sustainable practices.

Fast fashion has changed us into passive consumers who chase the fantasy that buying more clothes makes us happier. The notion of buying several cheap items of clothes just for having more variety at a lower price creates a wasteful consumer behaviour. Indeed, clothing production has doubled since 2000 and while people purchased 60% more clothing items in 2014 than 2000, people kept the clothes for half as long according to McKinsey and Company (2016).

Eco-fashion is the practice towards a more sustainable, transparent and fair fashion industry. This includes the fair trade for the employees for a fair price, decent working conditions and a liveable wage for workers as well as the use of safe natural materials to make garments. Ecofashion clothing is guaranteed to last longer, produces less waste

Fashion is influenced and influences music, cultures, art, architecture and relationships with people. Fashion is self-expression and self-acceptance so how can fashion and sustainability co-exist? Fast fashion is electric and

economy. This can be achieved by extending the lifespan of garments by sharing or thrifting, reducing waste in packaging and ensuring that textile workers work under ethical conditions.

during production and has ethically supported the person who made the clothing item. The challenge with Eco-fashion is that it is considered expensive to the average shopper. The use of raw, ethical and safe materials ironically has a cost attached to it, thus the need to make sustainable fashion and lifestyle more mainstream and affordable. There are practical ideas and methods to steer towards a more eco-fashionable lifestyle such as buying secondhand clothes, buying less, donating clothing and adopting ethical brands. Programs such as Style Rotate, for instance, focuses on rentals and reusing clothes. The requirements for an eco-fashionable lifestyle is to contribute to a circular

Fashion, in general, means a lot to people. It holds value, sentiment and memories for people. Those who value certain fashion methods or practices over others can still engage in fast and eco-fashion through collaborative efforts. The main point of this all is to experience fashion that upholds individual values, protects the environment, sparks joy and creativity and engages in fair and safe working conditions for those who make clothing.

SODWANA BAY’S STORY OF PEATLAND AGRICULTURE words by Christopher Johnston

bars, lodges, restaurants, pathways and homesteads on the way to the beach. Thereafter communal land unfolds, shady trees create dens for carvers who sell their craft. This setting of road slowly reaches left into rare peatland and swamp forest. Its dense enigma descends upon the traveller, who senses an ancient eeriness. This third wall of trees is broken - by gaps which reveal large tracts of felled and cultivated forest. Ecology of the swamp and peatland forest

Sodwana Bay Sodwana Bay is a dream in mind and in reality. A few hours south of the Mozambique border. This area of Maputaland’s coastline is wild veld, dune forest, luscious and subtropical forest. The summers are hot and punctuated with storms, winters are pleasant compared to inland. Sodwana Bay is a coastal pearl; the 11km bay is pristine, harbours numerous abundant coral reefs, turtle nesting sites and diverse terrestrial life. The area is in the coastal heart of Maputaland; a stronghold of the Zulu peeple, their cultural practises and way of life. Sodwana Bay is a living, pulsating narrative set in its own time zone; complete with a cast of unique characters and factions – all based upon a modernised undercurrent.

Swamp and peatland forest is unique and rare in South Africa. Majestic trees grow on waterlogged trees reach up to 25m tall and are the keystone components of the ecosystem in Sodwana. The local name is umvubu – hippo as early European explorers and Zulu tribes alike found the two were always amongst one another. The swamp fig provides much food for monkeys, turacos, hornbills indigenous pigeons and insects when it fruits in summer. The coastal hibiscus (Hibiscus tiliaceus) is a small tree that decorates the mid-canopy with flexible branches and huge flowers in late summer.

The town – which is one road on horse - of Sodwana is a unique wonder in its own right; the cast is melding of divers, fishermen, researchers and lively local folk. Sodwana is comfortably nestled between the Isimangaliso Park and amongst the emaKhaya ‘rurals’. The tar road leads passed dive concessions,

life from decomposing leaves and branches. Thus allowing peatlands store large quantities of carbon out of the atmosphere. A normal nutrient cycling process, such as that of the neighbouring dune forest, does not occur. Vital carbon, nutrients and minerals sit untapped. Peatland forests of Sodwana Bay, therefore, sit atop a rich mat of carbon, nutrients and minerals - that floats. The sustained base flow from

The experience of an ancient eeriness within a peatland forest, is after all, factually based. Peat is waterlogged organic matter, forming a layer 1m to 5m even 10m thick. Reeds, grasses and other plant matter accumulated into peat over 50Â 000 years. Most layers of peatland cannot decay because constant water submersion creates anoxic conditions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thus microbial

peeple, one must chat with them on their own terms, have conversed and chattered within their sociospatial bounds, and have some kind of experience of their way of life. Then one may begin to gain an understanding of a peeple, gain an appreciation of livelihoods reflected in their faces.

subterranean water and the nearby lake-overflow substitute nutrients for the forest. The Peeple To know a landscape one must know its peeple; the folk of Sodwana Bay are as intriguing as the peatland forest. The locals have their own nature and quirks, and so too float atop layers of history. To know a

The Umhlabuyalingana district is underdeveloped, and most of the

and harvest honey â&#x20AC;&#x201C; these are the peeple most directly dependent on the soil. The communal gardens within IsiMangaliso are nearby, though many walk far before toiling. This land is nourished by the dark, rich and loamy soil of the wetland - providing a vital alternative to the dry, low productivity of highly sandy soils of the surrounding grassland.

land and 99% of its peeple fall under tribal governance of Indunas and an Inkosi. The unemployment rate is high, many households are headed by women many of whom are often dependent on a single salary. Many homes donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have piped water nor electricity - a typical infrastructure blockage within the municipality. These facts are evident from the varyingly impoverished lifestyles of the peeple. Yet, travelling along the sandy roads emaKhaya around Sodwana, one senses a simplicity and stoic triumph in the daily ongoings.

Witness the agricultural process The dreamy road of Sodwana Bay meanders to the beach entrance and boat launch site; in late summer this year the all-encompassing forest was noticeably pierced by foot paths, its canopy cracked open in places revealing a new kind of forest. Mated clumps of banana trees create a stouter canopy with amadumbe and sweet potatoes mingled underfoot. Fishermen and divers going to and fro did not initially take heed of the chainsawâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s distant ringing. The local peeple require

The cultural-Christian belief system has birthed for most families many mouths to feed; given the lack of conventional job opportunities, peeple seek alternatives. Thus, in Sodwana Bay, one finds peeple extracting resources from the land in various ways. The peeple grow vegetables, graze cattle and goats, conduct cultural practices, hunt

attractive smiles dismiss any reason for concern.

more than communal gardens and had slowly begun the process of agriculture in the rare peatland and swamp forests of Sodwana Bay.

As a historical phenomenon, agriculture is process humanity is quite familiar with. Agricultural revolutions occurred independently around the world since 10Â 000BC. The arduous process begins by altering land and ecosystem into another state, enabling the provision of different services and resources to peeple. The farmer endures arduous labour to turn forest to food. Chopping, hacking, slashing, burning trees and peat, tilling and digging aqueducts. Bananas, amadumbes, sweet potato, gemsquash, butternut, cabbage, spinach, tomatoes, onions, green peppers and carrots. The fruits of their labour are eaten or sold in

Ducking into the dark footpaths one bears witness to forest swamp undergoing agricultural change. Awesome trees tower alongside fallen ones; mires and streams with lilies - embarrassed under sunlightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scathing scrutiny. Reeds reach for the sun through the branches of felled trees. Logs fashioned into fencing; undergrowth piled onto stumps in slash and burn clearing techniques. Continuing off the beaten path and toward the smoke and panga thudding, one naturally recalls the warnings told of aggressively defensive farmers. Curious greetings followed by

the same answer. The majority of the farmers are poor, or need money from produce to put children through tertiary education. Questions in dialogue with the farmers such as “will any forest be left?”, “what about a balance between nature and farming?”, make it apparent that this is a story of livelihoods over conservation. Poor land management practises can exclude sustainability in medium to long term. This should be the concern of all involved. Soil is no longer protected from the sun; streams and mires are drying. In the short term, it has been unclear whether the soil is utilised sustainably. How can long term ecosystem service provision be ensured?

street markets, thus the farmers innately place an economic value on the land they’ve cultivated. Contemplating the scenes of the Sodwana agricultural narrative within our global context, one feels that a lamentable tragedy is unfolding; melded with an undeniable human empathy and understanding toward those who bring it forth. This odd merger of emotion is differentiated by comparing the felled and burned forest to the luscious and bountiful gardens that come as a result. For who can deny Beings their livelihoods? The dismayed ecologist, conservationist, park manager, nature lover and layman alike receive

Conflicting perspectives and interests

delay and mismanagement will worsen the issue

The Isimangaliso Park is a UNESCO world heritage site and by law the locals are not permitted to cultivate any forest within its boundaries. Park authorities adopted a draconian exclusionary approach and ruled that locals must not fell forest. Unfortunately, the last two decades of this kind of governance at Isimangaliso has soured relations with the locals. Many farmers resent Isimangaliso for poorly handling the issue and accuse the park of failing to provide job opportunities or alternatives. Peatland and swamp forest are rare, biodiverse and purify water, it is no surprise that the Park aimed to protect it.

Moving forward and exploring alternatives

Isimangaliso initially negotiated with relevant Ndunas; the farmers were asked to stop felling forest and utilise land already cleared. Overall, this request was not listened to, and Ndunas do not have much sway over farmers. There is no apparent governance structure amongst the farmers and thus no general consensus on specifics such as boundaries between farm and forest. Since the initial negotiation, the forest is continually felled by newcomers and those grabbing opportunities to make money selling produce. Currently, there is little to no dialogue between stakeholders; nor any meaningful progress given the COVID-19 Lockdown. With low trust in an increasingly politicised matter, it is possible that continued

The farmers will not yield an inch of the land they now work and value. The current trajectory of poor governance and land management practises from all stakeholders will have consequences for Sodwana in the long term. Landscape homogenisation, soil drying and overuse, invasive plants, possible freshwater salination, conflict with wildlife, and unpredictable effects of cascading biodiversity loss have the potential to jeopardise forest and farming alike. A storm may be powerful enough to wash exposed soil and sediment into the bay; this event would destroy Sodwanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reefs.

Most vital is a resuming of discussion between Isimangaliso and the farmers to reconcile past differences and restore trust. Through dialogue, perspectives of the stakeholders can be exchanged. The peeple on either side of the forest may gain an understanding of each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s value systems and objectives of the land within the park. Isimangaliso authorities would be wise to broach a cooperative system of governance; as a relationship unified under common goals will be more fruitful than the current state of affairs.

Swamp and peatland forests should be viewed as dynamic ecosystems

provide ecosystem services long term.

more broadly than the current perspective. In this way, they have intrinsic and anthropogenic values. Thus, a merger of knowledge fields has the potential to implement adaptive solutions. Continual meetings to orientate actions toward agreed-upon objectives; comprises from both Park and people. Explore the involvement of outside parties. Permaculture practitioners could educate the farmers to ensure sustainable use and boost harvests; engineer a fruit forest garden intermingled with natural forest. Pressure can be taken off the land by upskilling locals to become employable at new lodges. Perhaps generate employment by taking tourists on guided tours. Ultimately, proactive action should be taken to ensure that the forest and surrounding communal land can

Sentiments The matter is complex and would require yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; worth of iterative processes to address. The problem requires adaptive solutions that are all-encompassing. For the pressures upon South African peatlands and demand for fresh water grows. Perhaps it is a matter of responsibility, a test of our humanity, it is rational to recognise potential. The potential for this area of the Isimangaliso UNSECO world heritage site to be co-governed, for farming amongst the natural forest. A long term vision of organised equitable sustainable land use, for the dream of Sodwana Bay is opportunity for livelihood and lifestyle.

ESSENTIALS

words by Kgalaletso Moerane many of us began to appreciate essentials such as health, food and social connections. Whilst we were snuggled up in our homes, individuals such as Phikolomzi Qinisa Dlamini made sure that supermarket shelves remained stocked.

When reports about a virus that threatened the livelihoods of Wuhan residents broke out earlier on in the year, most of us thought it would only affect certain parts of the world similar to Ebola. How we were mistaken. Over the past six months, we witnessed that no country in our globalised world is immune to the devastating consequences of Covid-19. CocoV exposed the structural cracks in governance and economic systems around the world as it’s brought most health and food supply systems to their knees. The magnitude of the crisis in South Africa became real on the 25 of March, the day President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the implementation of the Disaster Management Act which took away the civil liberties many of us have taken for granted. What that meant, no one really knew. Some speculated that riots and looting would escalate. While others speculated that South Africa’s health care and agricultural sectors were ill-equipped and ill-prepared to handle such a pandemic. Despite the chaos and confusion, most South Africans used lockdown as an opportunity to reimagine and deal with living off essentials only. Perhaps one positive influence was that for the first time amidst the fast life of the twenty-first century,

Dlamini tells POTS, “I remember young champs from Hoër Landbouskool Vryheid came and gave us a presentation trying to convince us to attend their school. I knew there and then that agriculture was the path I was going to follow”. “This must have been in grade six”. A year after that Dlamini would apply and eventually get accepted. And thus his journey began. As a high school student, Dlamini would spend five years experiencing farm life and gaining technical skills that other high schools did not offer. At the end of his high school experience, Dlamini applied to Cedara, an agricultural college and research institution near Howick, KwaZulu-Natal. Despite initially experiencing setbacks Dlamini was finally accepted, which is what led to other doors unlocking he explains. “I don’t know how to put it, but that was where I got the right energy and

passion, and I have never looked back since.”

direction which I believe was a result of being surrounded and inspired by like-minded individuals who I met there”. “You know people always tell me I was fortunate enough to find my passion at a young age”. “I am beginning to realize that more everyday”.

Looking back and his first year out of college, Dlamini at 22 is currently the Junior farm manager at Imbewu Agricultural Enterprise. A locally owned farming company that aims to provide high-quality fresh vegetables while creating employment opportunities for surrounding communities in Weenen and Pongola, KZN. Dlamini tells POTS “We are currently mainly producing and supplying veggies for local markets”. “Sometimes I laugh a bit because as an agronomy, beef production and game management student, I am doing something outside my lane”. “But my passion for agriculture as a discipline

Growing up in Coronation, a former mining town located on the outskirts of Vryheid in KZN, agriculture was not always the obvious choice for him. Most of Dlamini’s peers were going into medicine, teaching or accounting. Agriculture was not always a popular choice. Dlamini mentions that “people would ask me from a young age why I would want to get into agriculture”. “For me, it was simply about following my

Land Act of 1913 which robbed African farmers of their means of production is the main reason why myths that Africans cannot run a farming operation exist. To add onto that Dlamini mentions that the politicisation of land distribution being awarded to inexperienced farms in South Africa will eventually force passionate farmers to throw in the towel.

was enough for me to grab any opportunity that comes my way”. “I do not consider agriculture as a sector, I consider it as a lifestyle hence why I choose to extend myself towards any discipline within the field”. Dlamini realises how fortunate he is to have found his passion at a young age. “I don’t know how I got here, must’ve been the presentation or the farming games with my older brother growing up, I really don’t know but I am glad I got lost in the right direction.”

Regardless of the financial and political difficulties, Dlamini is determined to start building towards affording his family and the coming generation better opportunities. Compared to his peers in Hoër Landbouskool Vryheid Dlamini does not come from four or three generations of farming. He has witnessed the privilege of most students who have access to many resources, connections, skills and capital at their disposal by the time they are his age. Which is something he would love to leave for his children. The young farmer admits that although he dreams of achieving all of this he is currently in no position to own let alone run a farm off his own capacity. At the moment the best he can do is inspire the younger generation to consider venturing into the multifaceted agricultural industry.

For those who are unfamiliar with agronomy, it is the science and technology of manipulating plant genetics, plant physiology, meteorology & soil science in order to produce food, fuel, fibre and restore the land’s qualities. It is almost like the ecosystem approach to the agricultural production of certain crops. Dlamini highlights that there is a slight difference between agronomic crops versus the more generic vegetables. Essentially, agronomy focuses on the commercialization, development and practical management of agriculture. The journey has not been easy. Unfortunately, young ambitious farmers such as Dlamini are often set back by the legacy of South Africa’s political history which robbed non-white people to own land and eventually forced Black Africans into cheap labour. Gatekeeping from policies such as the Native

Dlamini and his colleges at Imbewu take it upon themselves to market agriculture to the youngsters and highlight the thrilling future that lays ahead for the industry is. Especially

Thankfully, the harmony between food production and modernisation has profound opportunities in urban areas thanks to technologies such as hydroponics and farming techniques that require fewer resources, space and time. More than that, these technologies to some extent enable ordinary citizens to be in control of their food security.

in the wake of the current agricultural revolution. He mentions that we tend to grow up with a one dimensional perspective of agriculture, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up to us to tell kids about the different components such as agricultural engineering, agricultural conservation, biotechnology and so on. The face of agriculture is changing and Dlamini wants young people to be a part of it. Although the mechanization of agriculture is debatable in the South African context, Dlamini believes that future production methods in rural areas will have to find harmony between improving efficiency, saving money whilst simultaneously serving and protecting the interests of the labourers who increasingly run the risk of losing their jobs to machines.

If you consider CocoV as a natural disaster, this would not not be the first natural disaster that farmers such as Dlamini felt threatened their practice. Dlamini vividly remembers the impacts of climate change first hand. During the 2015/16 drought season, the farmer remembers that it was incredibly hard for farmers to suddenly adapt to the harsher weather conditions. The plants and livestock took a heavy knock

of seedlings has forced the company to reschedule its original plans.

because of the scarcity of rainfall. On the other hand, the social effects were profound as farmers unfortunately resorted to taking their own lives. According to insurance company Liberty, suicide claims increased by 20% during that period.

Experts suggest that South Africa as a net exporting country will not suffer from food shortages. Unfortunately, other countries have not been so fortunate. Covid-19 has left a trail of creative destruction on the global food supply chain. This begs one to wonder whether our most vulnerable will survive the impacts of climate change if food remains a commodity instead of a right. Leaders within intergovernmental organisations such as the World Trade Organisation have publicly opposed localised control over food production, food sovereignty and self-sufficiency. Instead, they heavily emphasise that trade through liberal markets is the solution to world hunger. Similar sentiments are held by the World Health Organization (WHO) as well as the UN Food & Agricultural Organization (UN FAO). There was no mention of improving local control over food production, as global lockdown measures continue to prioritise commercial stakeholders.

That period taught Dlamini how resilient one must be as a farmer. “It is so stressful, most people do not realize how many people were affected particularly those who were unable to pay their production loans in time. And as a result, had their lands seized. The situation under Corona is similar if not worse as those in food production are faced with health, economic, social and environmental threats”. One positive aspect is that CocoV has reminded people just how essential agricultural workers are. So much so that people who’d previously consider it as an industry for a particular race are now joining us Dlamini tells POTS. On top of that, none of the workers at Imbewu were largely affected by the new regulations. The fortunate part is that the company had just harvested its seasonal produce just before the pandemic set foot in South Africa. The downside, however, was that ‘essentials’ such as mechanical parts for tractors and other farming equipment were largely unavailable which had minor impacts on the production side. Dlamini also tells POTS that CocoV has also affected nursery preparations as a shortage

Lockdown measures in South Africa have affected small-scale farmers, spazas, street vendors and others within the “informal” markets which accounts for a large proportion of South Africa’s agricultural market. Studies show that 70% of township households purchase their fresh fruits and veggies from suppliers outside of formal markets. The

lockdown meant that many were forced to shop at commercial outlets which are already unaffordable compared to alternative vendors. Recent statistics highlight that current supply patterns are further pushing the most vulnerable into hunger now that money becomes more scarce as global economies plummet amidst the Corona virus., which makes one wonder why organizations such as the UN FAO still emphasizes that food should remain a commodity and not a right.

We should take Covid-19 as a warning shot and an opportunity to address some of the pressing issues we face as a society. With environmental disasters expected to accelerate in the next ten years and further push the most vulnerable into extreme poverty. Farmers such as Dlamini understand the responsibility of feeding an evergrowing population with scarce resources in the coming future.

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PEEPLE of the Soil: Issue 6

Articles inside

IT STARTS AT HOME words by Gladman Thondhlana