Hadeda News - 03 March 2023

Some Great Loadshedding Tips:

Some good ideas sent to me from a friend who found this useful article on FaceBook.

I live in Zambia, and have been living with load shedding every day, for 12-18 hours a day, for the past 6 months.Acouple of my friends asked for my load shedding tips so I thought I’d share them here too:

Most important tip: be patient, stay calm, and accept that it’s going to be what it’s going to be, regardless of how worked up you get about it!Yes, it sucks, yes it’s unfair, yes some suburbs are way worse off than others.

1. Fill a few 2Lbottles with water and freeze them. When the power goes off, move 2 or 3 into your fridge and limit opening and closing the door. Leave the other frozen bottles in the deep freeze and only take them out once the others are down to about 25% ice. Swap them out for more frozen ones. This should keep your fridge cold enough to preserve your food for at least 8 hours.The ones in your deep freeze should stay frozen at least 12 hours.

Remember, don’t open and close the doors unless entirely necessary!

2. Keep your power bank charged up and ONLYuse it when the power is off. If you know you’re in for a few hours down time in a day, put your phone on low power modeASAPto preserve battery life.

3a. Invest in decent rechargeable camping lights ( Cape Union Mart, Makro, Game).They last a few hours and are bright enough to read/play board games/shower by.

3b. Get some rechargeable globes (R75 – R125 each depending where you shop). It charges when the power is on and works well during loadshedding. Get one for every room in the house and there will be no need to sit in darkness any longer

4.Thieves love loadshedding when all is in darkness. Light up the outside of your house with solar lighting. Invest in decent solar lights, the kind with it’s own panels, this is a “must have” item. Shop around, Makro and Game now stock it, but also the Chinese shops (who give you zero warrantee). 100 Watt gives a

very decent light and will last the whole night. 200 Watt will light up your outside courtyard or carport. It can be set for automatic timing.

5.Acar phone charger is a necessity!

6. Keep groceries in the pantry/fridge that don’t require cooking (if you have an electric stove/oven.)Tapas anyone? If you’re desperate, a little camping gas stove is a good idea for easy meals like scrambled egg, 2 min noodles etc.

7. When the electricity is on, boil the kettle and fill a flask or two to use for baby bottles/tea/coffee.

8. Plan outings for your scheduled load shedding time. During the day it’s not so bad, but at night it can get real depressing sitting in the dark night after night. Amovie, a date night, a meal out, late night shopping, hanging with friends on a different schedule to you - all do wonders at boosting your mood and reducing the effect load shedding actually has on you. Don’t be scared to call on your community!

9. If it’s within your budget, look at getting an inverter system, or generator. Even the most basic system will give you a few hours

of the minimum: lights, chargers, tv, maybe a fan. Electricity prices are going up by 18% so factor that in your financial calculations. 10. Hot water Asimple solar shower bag kept full and in the sun can be a mood changer A solar geyser is better

11. Cooking - keeping the braai stocked with charcoal or wood is now an essential chore.

Invest in a gas hob, the prices are increasing with demand.

12. Hang washing up carefully so it doesn't crease. Hey, our British visitors never iron any clothes, an example to follow.

13. Communications - I have noticed that the cellphone towers are going off during load shedding. Get to know your neighbours in case you can't phone or text. If anyone knows Elon Musk a few Starlink satellites will help.

I know it sucks, and is frustrating and makes you shake your head and swear and rage. But try remember the many wonderful things that you do have as a result of living in SA.And enjoy all the candle lit bubble baths you want!

Hoe maak jy skryftyd?

Wenke van Welbekende Gepubliseerde Skrywer - Annerle Barnard

As jy 250 woorde per dag skryf, het jy na 240 dae ‘n manuskrip van 60 000 woorde. Dis die lengte van ‘n jeugroman, soos Sweepslag of Sindikaat. Indien jy elke dag 250 woorde kan skryf, het jy in minder as ‘n jaar ‘n hele roman — met nog tyd oor om aan jou roman te redigeer

Ek moet bieg dat ek ook daarmee stoei om voldoende skryftyd te kry. Ek ry kinders rond, probeer ‘n besigheid bedryf en skryf. Glad nie maklik nie.

1. Een uur per dag

In een uur per dag kan ‘n mens baie vermag. Meer as wat jy dink. Maak egter seker dat jy weet waar om die volgende keer aan te gaan ten einde nie tyd te mors nie.

2. Elke sekonde tel

Wanneer ek ophou skryf vir die dag, maak ek net daar waar ek opgehou skryf het (op my manuskrip) vir my notas (en highlight dit met geel of pienk of groen) sodat ek die volgende keer weet waar om aan te gaan.Toe ek

aan Sindikaat geskryf het, sou ek byvoorbeeld ná hoofstuk 25 ‘n nota gemaak het wat bloot lees:

Paul en Bossie in geleende voertuig. Aanval deur onbekende in swart Ford Ranger. Skoot klap.

Bostaande het die inhoud van hoofstuk 26 geword. Dit het gehelp dat ek presies geweet het waar om aan te gaan, ten einde nie kosbare tyd te mors nie.

Ek het tydens ‘n besoek aan die Bosveld aan Spel (wat ek vir die Sanlam-prys vir Jeugliteratuur, 2021 ingestuur het) geredigeer

3. Bietjie-bietjie maak baie

4. Behou jou momentum en redigeer later Heelwat mense redigeer terwyl hulle skryf. Ek het dit aanvanklik probeer, maar dit werk nie vir my nie. ‘n Mens raak so verstrengel in jou redigeerwerk dat die storie glad nie vorder nie. Ek het gevoel dat ek net mooi niks bereik nie. ‘n Mens kan nie sien wat van jou harde werk geword het nie. Daarom skryf ek die hele manuskrip klaar en begin dan om te redigeer Indien daar egter ‘n groot verandering is waarsonder die storie nie kan vorder nie, sal ek die verandering eers aanbring en dan verder skryf.

5. Die beste plek en tyd om te skryf

Die beste plek en tyd sou in stilte in jou studeerkamer wees (met heeldag se ononderbroke skryftyd), maar vir baie van ons is daardie slegs ‘n droom. Ek weet van skrywers wat in vliegtuie en in koffiewinkels skryf. Ek het al

in my motor voor die skool met my skootrekenaar op die passasiersitplek gaan sit en skryf ten einde ‘n sperdatum te haal. Indien dit vir jou belangrik is om te skryf, maak van enige tyd en enige plek wat hom daartoe leen, gebruik. Ek het al by koffiewinkels gevra of ek my skootrekenaar kon inprop en ek moet sê dat al die eienaars tot dusver baie gaaf en behulpsaam was.

6. Hoe maak jy skryftyd?

Dis nie altyd maklik nie.Al wat ek weet, is dat as daar ‘n wil is, is daar ‘n weg.

7. Hoe gemaak as daar op ‘n spesifieke dag regtig geen skryftyd is nie?

Dit het al baie met my gebeur Wanneer omstandighede van so ‘n aard is dat ek nie my skootrekenaar kan saamneem nie, lees ek materiaal vir navorsing. Ek het byvoorbeeld vandag ‘n boek wat ek saamneem skool toe en ek beplan om dit te lees en notas te maak terwyl ek langs die sportveld sit en wag. Onthou dat lees ook navorsing is. Ek het altyd ‘n boek op my foon (wettig!) en wanneer ek byvoorbeeld by die dokter se spreekkamer sit en wag, lees ek.

NOORD KAAP TUINE

Die resep het ek nog van ‘n Kaapse Maleier gekry. Orals waar ek gaan en iets eet waarvan ek hou, bedel ek die resep. Dit proe soos die regte blikkies vis van vroeër jare.

1 kg snoek/ hake in porsies gesny

Sout na smaak Kookolie vir vlakbraai

2 groot uie, in ringe gesny

5 knoffelhuisies, gekap

2 koppies asyn

2 koppies water

2 teelepels fyn koljander

2 teelepels fyn komyn

1 eetlepel masala

1 teelepel borrie

2 lourier blare

4 elk wonderpeperbessie s en naeltjies

1/4 teelepel peperkorrels Suiker na smaak

Geur vis met sout, druk in meel, en braai in olie tot gaar. Behou olie.

Plaas res van bestanddele behalwe suiker in kastrol en verhit tot kookpunt. Verminder hitte en pruit tot uie deurskynend maar nog ferm is. Voeg suiker na smaak by en roer tot opgelos. Giet warm sous en olie oor vis. Maak seker dat elke porsie vis bedek is.

BRON: Facebook / Food Lovers Recipes – Petré Van Jaarsveld

From UFOs To Surviving Katbakkies: The News24 Karoo Burn 2023

What a weekend. Riders faced some tough conditions to complete the News24 Karoo Burn 2023 race this weekend.

I joined our cycling editor, Lance Branquinho, out in theTankwa and saw the legendary Katbakkies for myself.

"You ride, and then you think you're at the top, and then you get there, and there's another climb waiting, and then another, and another," one exhausted and dust-covered rider told his wife as he was munching down a post-race hot dog.

In the end, it was Dusty Day and Yolande de Villiers who emerged victorious in a war of attrition against the wind, as much as against the brutal R355 gravel road.

The 242-kilometre-long race from Calvinia to Kaleo Guest Farm, near Ceres, took on the longest, straight, uninterrupted gravel road in the country. If that was not challenge enough, a

southerly wind blew all day, providing a stiff headwind for the entire course.

"Long… headwind… hot…. tough…." Day puffed on the finish line. "Ja, dit was hard!" ("Yes, it was tough!")

"We [Day, CPvan Wyk, Jaco Davel and Bennie Viljoen] all worked together against the wind," Day expanded. "There was no point in trying to do anything alone. We all know the race would be made after the Tankwa Padstal on Katbakkies Pass."

“It was an absolutely brutal day with virtually no free kilometres,” News24 cycling editor Lance Branquinho said. "Wind is any rider's worst adversary, and it was relentless to the end. Even the strongest riders finished way slower than they anticipated."

Despite all the challenging conditions, the News24 Karoo Burn was undoubtedly a success. Ultra-endurance racing is, after all, not meant to be easy - News24

The UFO at the Tankwa Padstal. Photo: Herman Eloff/News24

Turn right here and Katbakkies lies straight ahead. Photo: Herman Eloff/News24

Former Drug Addict Is Cycling For Change

Durban -Aformer drug addict from KwaZulu-Natal says he is eager to begin his mission of fighting drug abuse and other social ills by undertaking a prayer ride across three provinces.

Edward Pozyn, 58, will be cycling from Howick, in the Midlands, to the Augrabies Falls National Park in the Northern Cape and on to Hermanus in the Western Cape in the hope of spreading the gospel and encouraging people to pray for peace and unity. He is also hoping to raise funds, to be donated to drug rehabilitation centres.

He will set off on his solo journey on Wednesday with the intention of completing the trip in two months. He plans to make pit stops in towns that have been most ravaged by drug consumption, crime and poverty This will be his second mission. His first was in 2021 when he walked from KZN to the Western Cape, with the same aim.

He delivered a “revival scroll” to CapeTown which had been passed on to him by church members during his journey. Pozyn said his missions were inspired by a desire to make the world a better place.At present, he lives atTheArk shelter

in Howick. “I grew up in a very disruptive environment.

My father was an alcoholic and we moved around a lot, that it got to a point where I was constantly in trouble at school because I had become rebellious,” he said. He recalled being assaulted by his mother who tied him to a cupboard for three days until he was rescued by his uncle. He was rushed to hospital and placed in a coma for over a month. “I then attended a farm school, a government institution, for three years before I decided to run away to avoid joining the army

All young men from 17 years old had to do national service … or alternatively spend five to seven years in prison,” said Pozyn. He said he began using marijuana at the age of 13.This eventually became a gateway to other drugs such as mandrax, ecstasy and alcohol. Pozyn said he has been sober since November 2011, after a near-death encounter on the streets. “I overdosed on valium and sleeping tablets and almost died. I woke up in a confused state and a man had a knife to my throat. I remember in the state of mind that I was in, I stood up and spoke unto

my heavenly father and asked him to help me,” he said. Pozyn said he quit his addiction through motivation from those around him, and a realisation that he wanted a better life for himself. His cycle trip to the Western Cape is being sponsored. He said the money he hoped to raise would be donated to the Robin Hood Foundation, a nonprofit organisation in Durban.

Jackie Psannis, marketing, donor and public relations spokesperson for the Robin Hood Foundation, said she was proud of the stance Pozyn had taken. She said she had

Manie’s Bistro

met him during the floods in 2022, when men fromTheArk helped the organisation to provide relief for flood victims.

“This cycle to the Western Cape is admirable and worthy of the general public’s support. We managed to assist with a bicycle donation and some other items on Edward’s wish list. We wish Edward everything of the best as he undertakes this impactful cycle.” Readers can keep track of his trip through his Facebook page.IOL/SUNDAY TRIBUNE

Edward Pozyn on his bike which he will use to travel from KwaZulu-Natal to the Western Cape to spread the gospel and raise funds for charity Picture: Supplied

Vaal Dam Floodgates Up Country Affecting Orange River System

Here are people who had a house on Friday and on Sunday morning they only had a foundation.Their entire house was washed away.”

This is according to Storm Zurcher, the community policing forum chairperson of the Loch Vaal neighbourhood watch area, who was referring to the widespread destruction of homes, roads and bridges in Loch Vaal, Vanderbijlpark and other parts of the Vaal after devastating flooding at the weekend.

On Saturday, the department of water and sanitation announced that a further two floodgates had been opened at the Vaal Dam to ease pressure after heavy rains,

which unleashed flooding in the region.The total number of floodgates that have been opened stands at 12.

Heavy rain showers means that the Vaal and Orange river system experience rising water levels, the department said, noting how it is continuing to “assess and implement measures to mitigate the effects of the increase”.

The continuing heavy rains in large parts of SouthAfrica meant that many rivers “are overflowing and most dams are full and spilling”, the department said, urging all residents in settlements along lower areas of the Vaal Dam to move to higher-lying areas.

A view of the Vaal River after heavy rains caused floods in Parys town of Orange Free state, South Africa on February 19, 2023. (Photo by Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

De Ruyter Strikes Back – Blows The Lid On Anc Corruption, Political Interference And Worse Load Shedding This Winter

Outgoing Eskom chief executive officerAndre de Ruyter says that the available evidence shows that the governingAfrican National Congress (ANC) sees the embattled power utility as an ‘eating trough’.

In a broad-sweeping interview with journalistAnnika Larsen on Tuesday evening (21 February), the CEO admitted to failing to prevent load shedding in South Africa, and touched on what he sees as entrenched corruption within government and governance around Eskom.

When asked by Larsen whether he believes those in theANC see Eskom as a “feeding trough”, de Ruyter said that evidence would indicate this is the case.

“I expressed my concern to a senior government minister about attempts – in my view – to water down governance around the $8.5 billion US dollars that, by and large through Eskom intervention, we got at COP26.

“The response was essentially, ‘you know, you have to be pragmatic – in order to pursue the greater good, you have to enable some people to eat a little bit’. So yes, I think it is entrenched.”

The CEO did not mention which minister he approached, but confirmed that they were still in government. He also revealed that the attitude of ministers towards reports of alleged corruption was blasé.

“When we pointed out that there was one particular high-level politician that was involved in this, the minister in question looked at the senior official and said, ‘I guess it was inevitable that this would come out anyway’. Which suggests that this wasn’t news (to them),” he said.

De Ruyter also warned that the party was more interested in short-term political gains than long-term sustainability for the country

“They want what will win them the next election – not what will keep the country going for the next two decades. I think that balance has been disturbed by turning Eskom into a stateowned entity under the direct control of the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE),” he said. “That department has played a very interventionist role, micromanagement even, at Eskom.

He said the root cause of this is the governing party’s roots in communism, which focuses on state control and is something that confuses diplomats and disincentivises investment.

“There’s a narrative that the state should control everything. Unfortunately the ghosts of Marx and Lenin haunt the halls of Lethuli House. People are still firmly committed to a 1980s-style ideology They still address one another as comrade.

“When such individuals talk to foreign diplomats and foreign investors, the puzzlement with which they leave those meetings is really a detriment to SouthAfrica’s credibility People say ‘we haven’t heard this kind of language since the fall of the Berlin Wall – what does this mean? How do these people think?'”

High-level crime

Eskom is under siege by highlevel criminality, from syndicates that steal coal, diesel and infrastructure to dodgy contracts and procurement irregularities. He said that criminality is closely tied to politics and feeds into significant initiatives, placing

Oom Benna’s Gastehuis Brandvlei

them at risk.

“There is very little explanation for the vociferous opposition to the Just EnergyTransition,” he said. One explanation for the pushback is that there is no clear path “showing a way for the comrades to eat”.

“There re so many vested interests in the coal value chain that the threat of decarbonisation – even though we’re talking about a multidecade move away from coal –that is why it is so eagerly opposed,” he said.

De Ruyter has placed much of his focus and energy during his time at Eskom on tackling criminality and promoting a move towards renewable energy, making him an enemy of the powers that be.

The CEO’s focus on going after the criminal elements within and around Eskom resulted in minister resources and energy minister Gwede Mantashe calling him a ‘policeman’, who was more focused on ‘chasing criminals’than ending the load shedding crisis.

Mantashe and other senior ANC officials in government have taken an alarmingly antagonistic approach to de Ruyter, with the energy minister even going as far as accusing him of treason. Mantashe –who is also a big proponent of coal – said that Eskom’s management was trying to overthrow the state by not resolving load shedding.

Following these remarks, no government officials came to de Ruyter’s defence.The DPE, which had expressed confidence in him before, sat silent – and even president Cyril Ramaphosa had nothing to say This lack of support and outright hostility towards him

led to him tendering his resignation late last year

Load shedding

Speaking to Larsen, de Ruyter admitted that load shedding is the one critical measurement he failed on.

“I think I failed regarding the readily measurable objectives – load shedding.That’s the big elephant in the room,” he said. However, he said that he believes he successfully defined a strategy for Eskom to get out of the crisis –something that is now “irrevocably set”.

Under de Ruyter, Eskom has effectively cemented a move towards renewable energy The national government proudly boasts about thousands of megawatts of these projects in the pipeline for the country to resolve the energy crisis.

But despite the progress and capacity in the pipeline to boost the grid, de Ruyter said that 2023 will be a challenging year for SouthAfrica.

When asked how tough, he said higher stages of load shedding are coming.

“Stage 6 during winter is highly probable – maybe worse,” he said.This means SouthAfricans should expect more load shedding for longer

Eskom is currently in the process of reviewing its load shedding schedules and the regulations that govern them. Energy experts and analysts have warned that stage 8 load shedding will likely hit by the middle of the year, even as high as stage 10 looms large.

- Businesstech

Arts Festivals Breathing Life Into The Karoo

Art and music festivals are expected to breathe new life into the crippling Karoo economy.

As tourism recovers from the impact of Covid-19 the Karoo region has been hit by a severe drought too.

But the return of popular events to the Karoo such as the National Arts Festival (KKNK), from May 3 to 7 in Oudtshoorn, and the Journey to Jazz in PrinceAlbert at the same time will help lure more visitors to the region.

These festivals are expected to boost the local economy and provide much-needed employment opportunities, especially among young people.

Chairperson of the PrinceAlbert CommunityTrust (PACT), Ingrid Wolfaardt, said tourism was a key economic driver in the area.

Headlined by SouthAfrican-born singer Melanie Scholtz, organisers are hoping the jazz festival will attract music lovers.

“Afestival which brings visitors into the town will not only boost the hospitality sector, but even those like the local petrol station or the smaller retail shops.

“It will open PrinceAlbert to a new audience, the avid jazz traveller,” said Wolfaardt.

Wolfaardt added that the purpose behind the festival was to create job opportunities and develop skills and competencies across the board while building global connections.

She said the Journey to Jazz festival is an attempt to leverage the assets of a small community to the benefit of everyone in the hamlet.

“Our festival is a first (here) and unknown, so we still need passionate visionaries who understand what we are trying to do to come on board and support us.”

Oudtshoorn mayor Chris Macpherson said that the KKNK was synonymous with Oudtshoorn and brought in a capital injection of about R650 million annually

“The benefit of total exposure which Oudtshoorn enjoys nationally as well as internationally during the week of the festival cannot be quantified. The KKNK is organised by Kunste Onbeperk, which has events which are specifically focused on the youth,” Macpherson.

Projects such as Karoo Kaarte (Karoo Maps) andTeksmark have been highlighted as examples of events that use the arts to create opportunities for youth story telling.

“During the construction period, as well as during the festival itself, there are a great number of jobs, many of which give (preference) to young people.” Macpherson said over the years, Oudtshoorn and its partners have made sure that infrastructure is in line with the demands of hosting the festival. "The infrastructure in town is more than adequate to facilitate all aspects of the festival.”

He said during the 27 years of the KKNK, there has never been a shortage of water. However, the organising and technical committees involved with the festival made provision for any unexpected water shortages which might occur

“Contingency plans and precautionary measures have also been put into place to mitigate the effects of the current spate of load shedding.”

Chairperson of theTransTec SA OudtshoornAdvisory Committee, Rodney Gelant, told Weekend Argus while they welcomed the festival and its benefits, its positive impacts were often shortlived. Gelant said while businesses enjoyed an economic boost, the unemployment rate continued to increase.

“There’s job creation on a temporary basis, a platform to experience the arts, and workshops with young people on management projects opportunities for local artists to create a platform,” he said.

“Why are there no longer term employment contracts since the festival makes millions annually? They should approach community activists who physically work in the entire community of Oudtshoorn daily with workshops to see how the entire Oudtshoorn sub-district with surrounding farms can buy in to involve everyone with local performances, renewed art ideas exhibitions, etc.” AfrikaBurn is also a popular festival in theTankwa Karoo in April.According to spokesperson Brian Palmer people travel from all over SouthAfrica and the world to attend. “We showcase the natural beauty of the Northern Cape and celebrate the vast empty space that is unique to this part of SouthAfrica.”

Palmer saidAfrikaBurn creates income and employment. “You only have to travel through towns like Ceres or Calvinia on the days before our event to witness this. Not only do we employ local people to help create our event, our event participants spend huge amounts of money travelling to AfrikaBurn via towns in the Northern and Western Cape.”

Organisers of the Journey to Jazz festival in Prince Albert are hoping to lure music lovers to spend money in their small town to boost the local economy. Picture: Supplied.

Singer and songwriter Melanie Scholtz is expected to headline the inaugural Journey to Jazz festival. Picture: File

KODA Upington Has An Amazing Fund Raising Valentine’s Dance

KIMBERLEY

Namakwa Civic Movement On The Ground, with the People

NCM-Acivic movement on the MOVE!!!!

Over the past few weeks our councillors were on the ground delivering much needed services to our people!

*Cllr R.Adams- site overview Okiep reservoir/community engagements

*Cllr Mario Baadtjies- town clean-up in Bergsig.

*Cllr Anneke Julie- town clean-up project in Matjieskloof.

*Cllr. H. Nell- delivered stationary to grade 1 learners @ Francois Visser primary school.

Okiep reservoir damage repaired.

GFencing of drainage system in Vaalhoek repaired. Cllr. Julie hard @ work cleaning up illegal dumping sites.

Cllr Nel. Stionary delivered @ Francois Visser school.

GCllr Baadjies. Cleaning up project in Bergsig.

Koda Thanks Hadeda News Live For Sponsorship of

Valentines Event

Gong Gong Community in Barkley

West - When It Does Not Rain But Flooding Destroys Your House & Property

Bou Met Poort Beton in 2023

Het u al die materiaal wat u benodig om u projek suksesvol af te handel ?

Moenie onkant gevang word nie

The sanctity of the doctor-patient relationship is the cornerstone of the healthcare profession.This protected space is steeped in tradition – the Hippocratic oath, medical ethics, professional codes of conduct and legislation. But all of these are poised for disruption by digitisation, emerging technologies and “artificial” intelligence (AI).

Innovation, robotics, digital technology and improved diagnostics, prevention and therapeutics can change healthcare for the better They also raise ethical, legal and social challenges.

Since the floodgates were opened on ChatGPT(Generative PertainingTransformer) in 2022, bioethicists like us have been contemplating the role this new “chatbot” could play in healthcare and health research.

ChatGPTis a language model that has been trained on massive volumes of internet texts. It attempts to imitate human text and can perform various roles in healthcare and health research.

Early adopters have started using ChatGPTto assist with mundane tasks like writing sick certificates, patient letters and letters asking medical insurers to pay for specific expensive medications for patients. In other words, it is like having a high-level personal assistant to speed up bureaucratic

tasks and increase time for patient interaction.

But it could also assist in more serious medical activities such as triage (choosing which patients can get access to kidney dialysis or intensive care beds), which is critical in settings where resources are limited.And it could be used to enrol participants in clinical trials.

Incorporating this sophisticated chatbot in patient care and medical research raises a number of ethical concerns. Using it could lead to unintended and unwelcome consequences.These concerns relate to confidentiality, consent, quality of care, reliability and inequity

It is too early to know all the ethical implications of the adoption of ChatGPTin healthcare and research.The more this technology is used, the clearer the implications will get. But questions regarding potential risks and governance of ChatGPTin medicine will inevitably be part of future conversations, and we focus on these briefly below.

First of all, the use of ChatGPT runs the risk of committing privacy breaches. Successful and efficient AI depends on machine learning. This requires that data are constantly fed back into the neural networks of chatbots. If identifiable patient information is fed into ChatGPT, it forms part of the information that the chatbot uses in future. In other words, sensitive

information is “out there” and vulnerable to disclosure to third parties.The extent to which such information can be protected is not clear

Confidentiality of patient information forms the basis of trust in the doctor-patient relationship. ChatGPTthreatens this privacy –a risk that vulnerable patients may not fully understand. Consent toAI assisted healthcare could be suboptimal. Patients might not understand what they are consenting to. Some may not even be asked for consent.Therefore medical practitioners and institutions may expose themselves to litigation.

Another bioethics concern relates to the provision of high quality healthcare.This is traditionally based on robust scientific evidence. Using ChatGPTto generate evidence has the potential to accelerate research and scientific publications. However, ChatGPTin its current format is static – there is an end date to its database. It does not provide the latest references in real time.At this stage, “human” researchers are doing a more accurate job of generating evidence. More worrying are reports that it fabricates references, compromising the integrity of the evidence-based approach to good healthcare. Inaccurate information could compromise the safety of healthcare. Good quality evidence is the foundation of medical treatment and medical advice. In the era of democratised healthcare, providers and patients use various platforms to access information that guides their decision-making. But ChatGPT may not be adequately resourced or configured at this point in its development to provide accurate and unbiased information.

Technology that uses biased information based on underrepresented data from people of colour, women and children is harmful. Inaccurate readings from some brands of pulse oximeters

used to measure oxygen levels during the recent Covid-19 pandemic taught us this.

It is also worth thinking about what ChatGPTmight mean for low- and middle-income countries.The issue of access is the most obvious.The benefits and risks of emerging technologies tend to be unevenly distributed between countries.

Currently, access to ChatGPTis free, but this will not last. Monetised access to advanced versions of this language chatbot is a potential threat to resourcepoor environments. It could entrench the digital divide and global health inequalities.

READ MORE |AI art: Blurring boundaries between technology and the nature of creativity

Governance

ofAI

Unequal access, potential for exploitation and possible harm-bydata underlines the importance of having specific regulations to govern the health uses of ChatGPTin low- and middleincome countries.

Global guidelines are emerging to ensure governance inAI. But many low- and middle-income countries are yet to adapt and contextualise these frameworks. Furthermore, many countries lack laws that apply specifically toAI.

The global south needs locally relevant conversations about the ethical and legal implications of adopting this new technology to ensure that its benefits are enjoyed and fairly distributed.

Keymanthri Moodley, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Medicine and Director,The Centre for Medical Ethics & Law, Stellenbosch University and Stuart Rennie, Associate professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Illustration. Photo: uzenzen/Getty Images

Drie Upington Manne Oorleef Karoo Burn 2023-Veels Geluk

Baie Geluk aan hierdie 3x Manne wat die 2023 Karoo Burn voltooi het!!! Nie n maklike "race" nie , maar ek glo die Sweet en Stof werd!

Banna vd Merwe

Petri Hanekom

Anton de Villiers

Wel gedaan ouens!!!

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Richtersveld Diamond Deal Leaves Locals With The Dirt

Communities in the diamond-rich Richtersveld in the Northern Cape are up in arms about the sale of mines along the banks of the Orange River to a junior mining company, leaving behind a multi-million-rand rehabilitation debt that they believe will never be met.

AR95,7-million rehabilitation fund set up to fix the damage caused by 50 years of diamond mining in the environmentally sensitive Richtersveld is a drop in the ocean of what is needed to restore the area, according to local community members.

JSE-listed alluvial diamond mining companyTrans Hex, in which businessman Christo Wiese has a 47% stake, sold its loss-making lower Orange mines inApril last year to a junior mining company touted as “a black woman-owned company”.

Since the sale tensions have been mounting, amid community claims on the land being mined, the mineral right and the mines themselves. Fears that the Richtersveld residents will be left to clean up decades of environmental damage are adding further strain.

“The community is genuinely worried about whether the environmental obligations will be met,” said the community’s lawyer, Henk Smith.

The mineral right thatTrans Hex sold overlaps with about 8,700ha of the Richtersveld National Park. SouthAfrican National Parks (SANParks) says illegal mining started inside the park after the sale, posing serious security threats to staff and visitors, and adding further environmental degradation to the “already barren and pressurised riparian ecosystem”.

Not enough in the kitty

Worries started to mount after Trans Hex subsidiaryTrans Hex Operations sold its ageing Bloeddrif, Baken and Reuning mines to Lower Orange River (LOR) Diamonds for R72-million cash. In a statement at the time Trans Hex said LOR had a management team with “extensive knowledge of and experience in the diamond exploration and mining industry but is not currently engaged in other diamond mining operations”.

Ayanda Shezi, spokesperson for the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR), told

Oxpeckers the R95,7-million held in a trust fund for rehabilitation of the mines was not considered sufficient and that the new owners would have to fork out the difference after the mines close.

According to Smith, officials from the department have estimated the existing rehabilitation liabilities at about R133,7-million, but this figure does not reflect the reality on the ground and the real cost may be as much as R192-million.

“The mega trenches are very deep and extend over several hectares,” Smith said. “It will literally cost millions and millions to rehabilitate them.” Local mining contractors estimate it will cost R600-million to begin to rehabilitate the land to an acceptable standard, he said.

David Pells, a mining contractor who advised the community, told Oxpeckers he believed the cost could be around R800-million. “You should see the unbelievable mega trench at Bloeddrif mine. How do we get a proper quantum on rehabilitation?” he said. “I believe it costs about R200,000 a hectare to rehabilitate and the mining lease area is about 40,000ha.You do the math.”

Smith wrote in a letter to the DMR that “LOR Diamonds do not have a track record with mining rehabilitation work that addresses our clients’legitimate expectations and concern.”

Previous investigations by Oxpeckers into mine closures showed that very few large mining companies in South Africa apply to close mines legally, and that the money set aside for environmental rehabilitation is rarely used. In the Northern Cape at least R2,5billion is held in financial provisions for mine rehabilitation.

Junior mines bear the brunt

Atrend exposed in the investigations was that big companies often sold mines to smaller companies that struggle to bear the responsibility of the environmental liabilities.

Shezi said the shortfall in the rehabilitation fund would have to be provided by LOR Diamonds before the transfer of the mineral right to LOR is authorised by the department. In the meantime, LOR is mining as a contractor of Trans Hex.

The Richtersveld community,

which successfully lodged a land claim against state-owned diamond mining company Alexkor 11 years ago, has lodged a claim on the land that LOR Diamonds is now mining.

The community, with Smith advising, is also lodging a claim for the mineral right to be transferred to the community Shezi saidTrans Hex still holds the right until consent is granted by the minister to transfer it to LOR Diamonds.

Mining takes place inside the borders of the Richtersveld National Park, a contractual park owned by the local communities and managed by SANParks, and mine dumps scar the park from the entrance gate to Sendelingsdrif camp.The Reuning operation is situated inside the park.

Trans Hex had submitted a revised environmental rehabilitation plan in March last year that the new owners would implement, Shezi said.

Avaluation done by Snowden Mining Industry Consultants for Trans Hex listed the three mines’ environmental risk as medium to high, saying there was a potential shortfall in the closure costs of the mines. “Lower Orange River mines’environmental liability is material, with the majority of LOR operations on care and maintenance for more than six months,” it said.

Comfortable with the legacy

The majority shareholder of LOR Diamonds is Nathiera Kimber, whose husband, Chris Kimber, has been active as a junior miner in the Northern Cape for the past decade. Nathiera has a legal background as a lecturer at the University of the Western Cape, and has worked in several companies as a corporate lawyer

Chris Kimber, who heads up operations at LOR Diamonds, said despite the environmental concerns the company is “comfortable” with “taking on this legacy” and that he believed there were enough funds in the trust to cater for rehabilitation.

Kimber saidTrans Hex had commissioned an independent study on the mines’rehabilitation.

“This document included the quantification of the rehabilitation quantum and was submitted by Trans Hex to the DMR,” he said. “LOR has engaged with the authors of this study and in conjunction with them has incorporated many aspects of their study into the updated environmental management plan.”

Several community members told Oxpeckers they are still waiting to see this new plan and said little work has been done to rehabilitate the sky-high mine dumps rising above the gravel roads of the Richtersveld.

J“We don’t expect any miracles from the new owner any time soon,” community member Pieter de Wet said.

Gateway to abandonment

Care and maintenance, when unprofitable mines are warehoused, has often been used to postpone the proper closure of mines, postponing rehabilitation indefinitely, said Catherine Horsfield, the Centre for Environmental Right’s mining programme head. She called it “a gateway to abandonment” in Oxpeckers previous mining rehabilitation investigations.

Reuning mine was declared a loss-maker in 2014 and was placed under care and maintenance in 2015. Baken

Scraping the surface: A R95,7-million rehabilitation fund set up to fix the damage caused by 50 years of diamond mining in the environmentally sensitive Richtersveld is a drop in the ocean of what is needed to restore the area. Photo: sourced

mine incurred a loss of R137.5m in the half-year to end-September 2017 and was put into care and maintenance in October 2017. Bloeddrif was placed under care and maintenance byTrans Hex in May 2017 after a loss of R60.1m in the same period.

Askeleton staff operated the mines until LOR Diamonds bought them. Kimber said the sale came about after the Minerals and Petroleum Board advisedTrans Hex to implement certain corrective measures which included “to allow continued mining by a third party company, such as a contracting company, which has a different cost structure to the mining right holder”.

The sale was welcomed by some, including the department, for breathing new life into the mines in an area where jobs are scarce. While the mines were under care and maintenance, there was also no deadline on

when the mines would be closed and rehabilitated.

LOR Diamonds won support for its bid by promising new mining techniques and recovery processes at the mines, as well as an innovative environmental rehabilitation process for the disturbed surface areas.Trans Hex said in a memo it was confident the sale would be both cost-effective and sustainable.

“Mining by its very nature has an impact on the environment in the short term,” Kimber said.

“Responsible mining can reduce this impact. Our mining methods allow us to merge current rehabilitation and legacy rehabilitation into one synchronised process, further reducing the impact.”

LOR uses the traditional pan and water method of mining, along with X-Ray technology to identify the diamonds.This is more environmentally friendly than using ferrosilicone to separate

diamonds asTrans Hex had done, Kimber said.

Whereas previously all material was taken to a central plant for processing, he said, “we do the majority of processing in field with continuous rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation is part of the mining process.This reduces the amount of material transported by up to 70%.”Tensions rising

LOR Diamonds has not had an easy time, with tensions rising in the local community over job losses, contractor appointments and illegal miners moving into the area. Sporadic violence has erupted at the mines in recent months, and LOR has tightened security in response.

In a letter toTrans Hex last December, SANParks chief executive Fundisile Mketeni asked the company to assist in dealing with the “uncontrolled illegal small-scale diamond mining inside the national park”.

The sale to LOR Diamonds had

sparked an invasion of illegal miners, Mketeni said, and “the situation has become a serious concern”.After several stand-offs between security personnel and armed and “aggravated” illegal miners, SANParks had withdrawn from confronting the miners and was concerned about the impacts they were having on the riverine habitat.

“Indigenous trees are cut down for firewood at an alarming scale…The sifting of gravel results in heavy metals and sediments washed directly into the river The production of litter and other waste debris discarded in the field are of huge concern,” he wrote.

Oxpeckers sent detailed email questions to theTrans Hex spokesperson about the mines’ environmental legacy and the rehabilitation fund, butTrans Hex failed to respond. –oxpeckers.org /

Mega trench at Bloeddrif mine: A mining contractor told Oxpeckers the cost to rehabilitate the trenches could be around R800-million.

Photo: supplied

Serious concern: Sporadic violence has erupted at the mines in recent months, and LOR has tightened security in response.

Photo: Richtersveld Nuus/FB

Eerste vir STAAL

Leach LodgeSPA Kuruman

Mynbou-Ontploffing Op Pad Vir Namakwaland......

Is Julle Werklik Gereed?

Geskiedenisbronne leer my dat mynwese in Suid-Afrika die grondslag gelê het virApartheid en dat die ekonomiese krag in die hande van ‘n sekere rassegroep gevestig was. Forward ons die tydlyn na vandag het nie veel in wese verander in Suid-Afrika nie. Bruinmense roem daarop dat die minerale rykdom van Suid-Afrika aan hulle, die Inheemse volk, behoort maar het niks om te wys nie.

Mynwese het inderdaad ‘n groot rol gespeel in die vorming van die SuidAfrikaanse ekonomie oor verskeie dekades en nêrens in die wêreld kan die impak van mynwese op die politieke, ekonomiese en sosiaalmaatskaplike landskap beter gedefinieer word nie. Knap voor die 19de eeu was Suid-Afrika hoofsaaklik aangewese op landbou tot iemand besef het watter waarde onder hul skoensole opgesluit lê. Soos wat myne oor die jare opgeskiet het, en vandag steeds, was die mooiste beloftes gemaak van die positiewe ekonomiese bydrae wat tot die gebied en streek gemaak sal word. By die departement van minerale en energie (DMRE) in Kimberley lê die mooiste SLP’dokumente, maar in die geaffekteerde gemeenskappe sien jy net armoede en ellende terwyl agter die bult die beste minerale gemyn word.

Hier en daar lees ons in die media van ‘n beurs aan ‘n belowende student wat breed glimlag saam die mynbestuurder, ‘n klein besigheid wat ‘n hupstoot gekry het met ‘n cheap grassnyer en ‘n kleuterskooltjie wat gebou was terwyl groot kontrakte in Gauteng uitgedeel word. Vergelyk ons hierdie terloopse inspuitings aan die geaffekteerde gemeenskappe is dit ‘n druppel in die emmer teenoor die winste wat oorsee gaan. Die relevante mynwetgewing in SuidAfrika het die mooiste intensies (soos alle ander wetgewing in SA) van wat mynmaatskappye behoort te doen in hul gasheergemeenskappe en steeds klap ouers, leerders en onderwysers opgewonde hande vir ‘n goedkoop rugsakkie wat oorhandig word deur ‘n myngroep –‘n sielkundige manier om ons mense in armoede te hou terwyl hulle handelsmerk op twee voete oral in die gemeenskap beweeg (gratis bemarking). En wanneer ons die ou man se geboorte dag herdenk word ons mense verras met ‘n warm kombersie en grocery hampers.

Biljoene word onder ons oë gemyn, maar ry jy deur dele van Namakwaland het die tyd vir baie mense letterlik gaan stilstaan. Die mooi landskap is asemrowend en dit voel letterlik of God op ‘n tyd hier geloop het, maar niks gaan in wese vir hierdie streek verander nie, want die ekonomiese mag en koopkrag is steeds in die hande van ‘n sekere groep. Feit! Hoeveel bruinmense in Namakwaland besit geboue om hul eie besigheid te bedryf? Hoeveel

besighede in bruin besit het groot kontrakte op die myne? Ja, die mense van Namakwaland kan slegs roem op hul mooi geskiedenis, maar het geen ekonomiese selfstandigheid of erfenis wat hulle vir die volgende generasies kan oordra nie. Mynpermitte word toegeken aan mense van oorsee, nie die mense van Namakwaland nie en bevraagteken jy dit in vergaderings word ‘n prokureursbrief in die mooiste engels aan jou gerig.

Oor die jare het ek gesien hoe misdaad groei in ons dorp, huishuur onbekostigbaar raak vir die gemiddelde gesin en ons skole uit hul nate bars. Plaaslike skole word aangeteel met mobiele klaskamers in ‘n dorp wat 15jaar gelede alreeds ‘n tegniese skool moes gekry het terwyl R21 miljoen deur ‘n myngroep allokeer was vir ‘n biblioteek in ‘n era waar kinders nie eens kan lees nie en met selfone in die hand gebore word. Nog ‘n myn het R34miljoen in hul SLPallokeer vir Onderwys in ons dorp, maar het geen volhoubare impak gemaak tot ons skole nie. Plaaslike klein besighede se groei is alleenlik sigbaar op myne se vooruitskattings en verslae aan hoofkantoor, maar die geld gaan steeds uit ons dorp na Gauteng en ander dele van Suid-Afrika . Aanstellings en kontrakte word in Gauteng toegeken sonder dat die procurement policy gevolg was en ons plaaslike sakeforums vat mekaar hof toe oor die krummels wat op die grond val. Ons baklei onder mekaar en byt mekaar dat die bloed loop, want waag jy dit om enige myn aan te vat is ‘n dringende hofaansoek jou voorland. DMRE in Kimberley is ‘n tandlose hond wat lankal sy blaf en byt verloor het om myne tot orde te roep. In Namakwaland gaan presies dieselfde gebeur

In die grootste dele van Namakwaland leef mense van die hand na die mond. Ja, dis ‘n feit. Jongmense verval in werkloosheid en enkeles sien wel die hek van die universiteit. Ook hier hoor en lees ons van die ryk koperare en groeiende mynbou aktiwiteite terwyl ons almal weet die mense van die streek gaan aan die agterste speen suig.

Korrupsie en politieke gewin is die oogmerk en die mense van Namakwaland sal na 10 jaar steeds in armoede leef terwyl een of ander CEO oorsee die beste seiljag besit en saam opgewonde gereed staan vir ‘n foto wanneer ‘n mobiele klaskamer oorhandig word in Namakwaland wat lankal ryp is vir ‘n tegniese skool wat nog te meer ‘n privaat hospitaal met ambulanse wat nie sonder brandstof gaan staan nie. Ook in Namakwaland sal leerders opgewonde skool toe stap met branded school bags net om na 12 jaar werkloos te kom sit. Onderwys is een van die drie fokusareas van mynmaatskappye (dit staan in hul SLP’s), maar hulle interpretasie van “sustainable development” tot

- Deur Martin Olyn

onderwys is ‘n beurs aan 2 jongmense, mobiele klaskamers en klomp haasbekkies met rugsakkies waarop hul myne se handelsmerke aangebring is.

Die mense van Namakwaland moet hulself opskerp in mynwetgewing,beleide, mynpolitiek en nie skroom om vrae te vra in vergaderings tot ekonomiese groei vir die streek nie. Dis nou die tyd vir die mense van Namakwaland om hand te vat, saam te staan en uit een mond te praat sodat sigbare ekonomiese groei en vooruitgang vir die streek nie net op ‘n Powerpoint presentation realiseer nie. Besighede in bruin besit moet voorkeur geniet en bemagtig word tot maksimum ekonomiese groei vir die streek.Alhoewel dit baie rassisties oorkom is dit egter ‘n feit dat Namakwaland die grootste konsentrasie bruin mense het, maar die ekonomiese mag is steeds in die hande van blankes.

Springbok is volgens my is ‘n juweel langs die N7 roete. ’n Dorp waar al die winkels op ‘n Saterdagmiddag toemaak wat lankal ryp is vir ‘n groot winkelsentrum langs die N7 met ‘n Game, Makro en ‘n sentrale verspreidingspunt waar trokke kom aflaai vir dele van die Noord-Kaap wat soveel werksgeleenthede kan skep. ‘nArgument dat bestaande besighede in die sakekern benadeel sal word deur ‘n groot winkelsentrum dra dalk gewig, maar die groeiende werkloosheid en armoede is die oorwig.

Kyk ons na die beplande ekonomiese groei op pad na Namakwaland wonder ek maar net of hierdie mense werklik die voordeel sal geniet soos wat al die myne telkens beloof. Ook hier gaan ons hoor “Julle het nie die kundigheid nie” of ” Jou klein besigheid het nie die kapasiteit nie.” Nee, ek is nie ‘n doemprofeet nie. Kom maak gerus ‘n draai in Tsantsabane en Gamagara waar soveel beloftes gemaak was van hoe ons gemeenskappe en klein besighede ontwikkel sal word en myne opskiet sonder dat daar enige openbare deelname was.Bevraagteken jy dit word jy stil gemaak met ‘n dringende hofaksie –inderdaad ‘n boelietaktiek wat mynmagnate gebruik want hulle kan. Dan vra ek myself die vraag :” Hoekom was die Mine Indaba in die Wes-Kaap, terwyl die minerale ryk in die Noord-Kaap gesetel is en die mense van Namakwaland geen idee het wat hulle gaan tref nie?”

Bruinmense in Namakwaland moet uit hul diepe beauty sleep ontwaak en begin vrae vra soos :” Hoekom is hier nie geboue en sakepersele in bruin besit nie? Hoekom baklei bruin forums onder mekaar? Hoekom kan

ons nie ‘n bruinkind uit ons streek as mynbestuurder aanstel nie? Hoekom kan die bruinmense van die streek nie mynlisensies bekom nie?

JHoekom kry mense van oorsee mynlisensies om ons minerale saggies weg te dra? Hoekom kan ‘n bruin sake man/vrou nie ‘n winkelsentrum oprig in Springbok nie? Dit gaan nie hier oor bruin, swart of wit nie, maar ongelukkig het ons land ‘n tragiese geskiedenis van hoe jy volgens jou velkleur geplaas word en praat jy daaroor word jy ‘n rassis genoem! En dis ‘n feit soos more dat die ekonomie in Namakwaland beslis nie in die hande van bruin mense is nie.

Nietemin is Namakwaland besaai met innemende, hartlike mense wat hul laaste bietjie kos sal voortsit vir hul gaste van ver. Kuier jy vir ‘n naweek saam met hierdie volk is daar trane wanneer jy oppak om terug te keer na jou dorp en besef dan dat jou naeltjie en herkoms eintlik hier begrawe lê. Inderdaad ’n deel van Suid-Afrika waar die mooiste stories in ‘n unieke Afrikaans vertel kan word, maar ons talentvolle kunstenaars kan nie hul eieTV kanaal begin nie, want… ons het nie die kundigheid of kapasiteit nie, ongeag die miljarde wat daagliks hier gemyn word. Jaarliks stroom toeriste na die streek om die unieke blommeprag te aanskou en sien dan net die mooi van Namakwaland. Met my eerste besoek aan Namakwaland was dit nie die minerale ryk en blommeprag wat my oortref het nie, maar die unieke karakter en menswees van hierdie volk wat nou eintlik aan die voorpunt moet staan van die grootskaalse ontwikkeling op pad.

Ek hoop van harte die tragiese verval in Postmasburg, Kathu, Kuruman en Hotazel waar baie mense van Namakwaland tans werk om ‘n lewe vir hul geliefdes tuis te probeer skep ‘n eye opener sal wees van die soveel leë beloftes van mynbesture van hoe hulle die geaffekteerde gemeenskappe sal ontwikkel. Kom ons vertrou die verkose leiers is paraat, het ‘n duidelike visie en, staan op vir die mense van Namakwaland sodat volhoubare ekonomiese ontwikkeling nie net gereduseer word tot ‘n powerpoint presentation met die mooiste engels nie.

Die ontstaan van mynbou in SuidAfrika in die middel 1800’s was die grondslag virApartheid en ekonomiese verdeeldheid op grond van ras. Dis tyd dat hierdie seer geskiedenis van mynbou in SAen veral vir die mense van Namakwaland herskryf word. Die tyd is nou! Is julle gereed?

Birding Column: Sociable Weaver: A Northern Cape Icon

the colony will construct a nest chamber which all face diagonally downwards –standing underneath and looking up is truly a sight to behold.

to roost and breed in.

Driving along any major route in the Northern Cape, one cannot help but be drawn to large, spectacular nests on roadside telephone poles or thorn trees.

These are the communal nests of the sociable weaver (Philetairus socius;Afrikaans: versamelvoël) a species that belongs to the weaver family and only occurs in SouthAfrica, Namibia and Botswana, and nowhere else in the world.

The core of their distribution lies in the Northern Cape and they are a bird associated with arid or semi-arid landscapes.The

species is not threatened and is generally common, and abundant throughout its range.

The Gariep Bird Club, based in Kimberley, has chosen the sociable weaver as its logo, representing the Northern Cape, the arid environment in which we live and the social nature of birds, birders and people.

It builds one of the most spectacular communal nests of any species, which has a magnificent structure.

Colonies can number anything up to 500 birds and each pair in

Colonies can be up to 4 m deep, 7 m in diameter and weighing up to 1 ton. Birds use dry grass straws to build their nest chambers, which structures the size and shape of the colony; some nests are known to be over 100 years old. Breeding is associated with rainfall and as such they may breed for eight to nine months of the year The number of eggs laid varies, based on the amount of rain.

They are able to adjust the clutch size to environmental factors to maximise the survival of the chicks.Three to four eggs are usually laid. Interestingly, these birds are cooperative breeders with “helpers” – non-breeding adults – that assist in raising the chicks and keeping the nest and chambers well-maintained.

The Pygmy Falcon,Africa’s smallest raptor, has a close relationship with sociable weaver colonies and pairs utilise an unoccupied chamber

Due to it being abundant, living in large social groups and surviving in dry, arid environments, the species has been well-studied by researchers and scientists.

At the Benfontein Game Farm outside Kimberley, a long-term project coordinated by the University of CapeTown (UCT) is looking at understanding how social and environmental factors influence long-term changes in sociable weaver populations.

It is a species that will no doubt respond to changing climates and landscapes, and we are certainly learning a lot about how these birds adapt and change their behaviour

Visit the Benfontein Sociable Weaver Project at sociableweaverproject.com and the SouthernAfrican BirdAtlas Project at sabap2.birdmap.africa.

Written by Dr Doug Harebottle, chair of the Gariep Bird Club

Contact the club at birdclubgariep@gmail.comNoord Kaap Bulletin

A sociable weaver. Photo: Doug Harebottle

A nest of sociable weaver, a familiar sight in big parts of the Northern Cape . Photo: Doug Harebottle

A nest of sociable weaver. Photo: Doug Harebottle