The eminent crisis around climate change

The emphasis at this years’ annual Community Engagement Day held at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) on Wednesday was the crisis around climate change. Changes in the global average temperature causing the earth’s climate to change.

The timing of the seasons is changing as are rainfall patterns, oceans are warming, ice caps at the poles are melting, sea levels are rising and extreme weather events, like hurricanes ,drought, floods and heat waves are occurring more often .This is a prime and major crisis facing not only South Africa but the whole world.

Vice Chancellor of DUT Professor Bawa expressed his respect for the role journalist play in society “I am in owe of you, because such a lot of responsibility is on your shoulder, said Bawa” .He went on to say that DUT will be involved in the upcoming COPE 17 Conference but he is terrified at the thought of DUT being involved as this is such a critical and delicate issue. The conference will be held in South Africa at the International Convention Center later this year.

Bianca Mackelevy who is Conversation manager at the Wildlife Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) said we don’t have a climate crisis but a people crisis people are to blame for a lot of what is happening.”The mission of WESSA is to promote public participation in caring for the earth “said Macklevy. We should take action now and she went on to explain the different ways that ordinary people can do to play a part in saving our country and our planet.

Durban Green Corridor’s Gabriella Pappas explained the different initiatives that their organisation have done to contribute to the crisis. Their various programs and sustainable environmental living are responsible for the Blue Lagoon. There they house a nature based tourism and sustainable living information. The Green Hub also operates various programs such as the uMngeni River Estuary one of the most bio diversity within the Ethekwini Municipal area. Riverside Trail where they employ people who live around the area to help with the making of the trail and the cleanup of the areas around the river banks.
Muthoni Ngotho of the Green Network said their organization decided to promote and priorities renewable energy issues. According to her South Africa is one of many countries with poor energy efficiency. They have taken up the challenge of being more and more aware. Energy, whether derived from wood, coal or electricity, has become increasingly expensive.

The Network has assembled a Mobile Renewable Energy Technology Demonstration Unit (RETMDU) which consists of a trailer with a solar water heater, solar panel, convector, battery and globe to help in this process of education. They have recently introduced a Biogas Digester, which is an initiative used to cook using a Biogas as well as the use of organic matter to a clean ,carbon-neutral gas which can be used for cooking and lightning. This equipment which uses freely available resources such as manure and agricultural waste was installed at Willowfountain. Green Network believes that by raising awareness of energy alternatives the current energy poverty experienced by poor people in South Africa can be alleviated and their lives greatly improve.

The question surfaced as to why this important and energy saving equipment was not commercialised so that each and every South African can have access to it .Mathombo said, “the equipments as well as installing it is very expensive and it’s an initiative they are working towards where every South African can benefit from renewable technologies like these”.

Deamond D’sa of South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA) explained that their key concern is the well being for all people living in eThekwini. Their main objective, speaking out for environmental justice at local, national and international level. He explained the many ways the organisation has done to play a role in society like the closing down of various industries with toxic emissions into the air and water as they were a potential threat to the health of communities, workers, and the environment in South Durban.

The poor operating practices by some companies that led to periodic oil spills and sprays, industrial accidents, inadequate safety and emergency plans for workers and neighborhoods, truck accidents, and illegal dumping of toxic wastes.
Among these companies are ENGEN, until 1996 the largest South African-owned integrated petroleum group (now majority-owned by Petronas) and Mondi Paper Company, one of the largest individual paper mills in the world (a major subsidiary of Anglo American Industrial Corporation Ltd Industrial air pollution is a priority concern in South Durban
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He also spoke on behalf of Essop Mohamed, from the KZN Fisher’s Forum and passed on the concern form the organisation regarding frequently report on a wide variety of odorous and badly coloured waste water flowing from that canal into the Umlazi and the nearby area where they fish.

All these Ngo’s expressed their concern and pleaded with the public to play a key role in saving our planet .An important initiative by SDCEA has been to form a local chapter of Climate Justice which calls politicians, officials and civil society representatives in Copenhagen to put forward a solid and concrete demand for a tough and binding proposal that will lead to immediate pollution reduction in the world and in South Africa.

Young people ask........................Why should we vote

With two days before the Local government elections, political parties have been urging young people in South Africa to exercise their rights and vote .This has fallen on deaf ears to students at the Durban University of Technology who are defiant and will not be going to vote.


Sindi Dlamini a second year journalism student and a resident in the Inchanga area said,”There has only been one candidate contesting in my area of which we are being threatened to vote for him of face being beaten. He currently owns 25 taxis and lives in uMhlanga, and people voted for him and all he has done is enrich himself and forgot who got him where he is now ,so where is the justice in that “.

“With things like these happening, I don’t really see the need and I will not be voting. “said Dlamini.
Other students who are in agreement with Dlamini commented that they don’t see a party that represents their needs as young people.
”Political parties make promises all the time which are never kept, for years people in rural areas have been hit by this scandal. They are promised basic needs such as toilets and water which they are entitled to, ending up still waiting

for those needs even after voting for the relevant party . I am young person in this country and I also exercising my right by not voting. I won’t vote out of loyalty just because a certain party gave us freedom is not a valid reason why they should get my vote now “, said Anathi Teyise.

Even with initiative such as the use of social networks that has been used to promote voting to young people they are still dead set on not voting. Political parties have used mediums such as Twitter ,Mxit and Facebook to get the message across. These means have been made to make the youth aware of why they should vote and what their rights are as citizens in a way that is easier for them to understand ,and also easier to build the future . The use of mobile campaigns has been aimed at achieving a balance between the youth rights and their responsibilities in helping to build the future.
Siyabonga Miya a 22 year old student said, ”I simply didn’t find the time to go register also I am not from Durban .I live in a flat and so I won’t vote in the municipal election for somebody who won’t benefit me or my municipality which is not Durban in any way.”

In a study conducted by the IEC (Independent Electoral Commette) in 2000 the turnout for the municipal election was a mere 48% of which only 30% was young people which means that a full 52% of which were potential voters did not go to the polls .

As Mbazima Shilowa once said,”staying away will not be a solution to improving service delivery and increasing jobs”. Young people should be going to vote, how else they will complain if they don’t vote.

Unreportedrape cases on the rise

At the age of 15, Sarah Smith was brutally gang raped by five men in her hometown of Newlands East.
Now a mother at 42 Smith recalls her friend telling her the brother wanted to talk to her,” I went as I didn’t suspect any bad thing might happen to me”, said Smith. Overpowered by the gang Smith was dragged in the bush and raped by all five gang members. “That was my very first sexual experience”, said Johnson.
Rape in South Africa has reached epidemic proportion with 70% of cases being that of women and the National Child Line believes as many as ten times more cases may be unreported. Smith didn’t report the incident instead she kept this secret to herself for many years not knowing it would affect her.
She suffered depression and was hospitalised for two weeks where she was wrongly diagnosed. Prayer and medication is what got her through.” I am stronger now and for the last three years I have been on the correct medication I was also able to confront one of the perpetrators who was a cousin of my husband, this helped me put closure to the situation”, said Smith. She believes she can help others who have had similar experiences.
With two daughters and a son she empowers them by letting them attend karate lessons Smith said,”This is so they’ll know how to protect themselves, and I emphysise to my son that a woman should be treated with respect“.

A reflection on the new media packages

What I learned when doing the package for new media, was that I have a love for writing and would like to take it next year when doing the choices between print and broadcasting. It was a very interesting experience although I could have done better with the second story. 

The importance of partnership was  vital when working as a team ,as much as I wanted  my views heard  I had to understand that Nomvula Sikakane and I  were a team . I needed to respect and hear views too, over all she an interesting person to work with, we did have our differences but we had a story to write and had to put them aside in order to meet deadline and this is which is crucial when working with a partner .What I enjoyed most was taking the photo for our first story as we both woke up early in order to be at the clinic early to be able to take the photo of people waiting outside in ques.

Our second story was quite a difficult one and we wished we could’ve taken a different angle as things like finding a photograph to go with the story was difficult.

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Future Journalist Programe

I have two more days to go before i begin my experience at Rhodes .I am a bit scared as i don't know what to expert but excited i know that this is an opportunity of a lifetime ,there are many people who are wishing they were me right now .