Latest news with #Mafa
IOL News
6 days ago
- General
- IOL News
Durban conservationist battles wetland destruction
DURBAN conservationist Nonkazimlo Mafa is the Urban Ecology Project Manager in the Threatened Endangered Species Unit. Image: Supplied. DURBAN conservationist Nonkazimlo Mafa is working hard to protect endangered amphibians only found in the wetlands, like the Pickersgill reed frog and the Kloof frog. Mafa is the Urban Ecology Project Manager in the EWT's Threatened Endangered Species Unit. Her main focus is wetland habitat protection which she does by implementing biodiversity stewardship programmes in the eThekwini region. 'What we do on a daily basis is waste management, removing invasive alien plants and working with the community to raise awareness about the importance of wetlands, and environmental education in schools.' DURBAN conservationist Nonkazimlo Mafa in the field. Image: Supplied. Video Player is loading. 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Next Stay Close ✕ Mafa has two sites in Durban; Adam's Mission in Amanzimtoti and Widenham in Umkomazi which was recently declared a protected environment. 'The main reason I'm in this job is my love of nature, love of disadvantaged communities. I was born and raised in such a setup, realising that people do not actually appreciate the land that they have and the opportunities that it comes with. Instead, some will just opt to go to big cities looking for jobs. But you can actually make money out of the land that you have in a sustainable way. You can make money, without destroying nature.' She says the EWT is looking into recycling initiatives in the areas where she works because illegal waste dumping in the wetlands is a major problem. The EWT has already installed containers to resolve the issue. 'The amount of waste that we receive daily, shows that people are actually just throwing away everything. They do not have a plan of how to minimise the waste.' Mafa says she didn't know that studying conservation was a possibility until she had completed her studies in agricultural extension which she describes as community development in natural sciences. She went on to do an internship with the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) which leads and coordinates research, and monitors the state of biodiversity in South Africa. 'They were looking for community development in a nature conservation space. So, that's how I actually got in.' Mafa says the most challenging part of her job is to get the buy-in of the communities where she works, who are suspicious about her role, because of their past experiences. 'You find fear within the communities to commit to what we're trying to bring to them, because they are afraid that we might be grabbing their land like it used to happen in the past. You need quite an extensive amount of time to get their trust first, and also to show that you respect them. You have to observe the protocols, you have to observe how the tribal authorities actually function.' She says it's very different from operating in a professional environment because even when you are chairing meetings, you have to observe certain 'tribal rules'. 'Sometimes you find resistance because you're a woman. So, you have to go the extra mile because in most cases, in those tribal authorities, you'll find that there are only men.' Waste pollution and illegal developments are currently the biggest threats to the environment where she works. 'People just build everywhere. Sometimes they build on the intact wetlands, or you'll just find people digging out the wetlands either for crops or they just want to create a pathway." She says the wetlands are decreasing which it's what her unit is trying to prevent because 'every hectare counts'. 'I would like people to know and understand that nature conservation is not only for us. It is actually the responsibility of everyone who's living to live in harmony, I would say. To be able to co-exist with nature, we mustn't take for granted what the frogs do, you can't just kill it. We also need to expose children to nature conservation, we don't need to wait until they've grown.' Her advice to women who are considering her field; 'Don't limit yourself. It is a very broad sector so you must be open-minded and willing to learn. And most importantly, just be respectful and chase opportunities. You have to be able to adjust, it requires you to be a down-to-earth person, and be able to co-exist with different interest groups, like professionals, someone who has never been to school, and also the elderly."
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Pipo for Northern Nigeria fear di return of deadly attacks of Boko Haram
Last September, afta Boko Haram militants attack Mafa town for Yobe, Northeast Nigeria, e don bring back fears of time wey pipo for di area believe say don go. Di attackers kill ova 100 pipo by di time di attack end. Boko Haram dey promote di kain Islam wey be say na "haram" or forbidden for Muslims to participate for any political or social activity wey dey linked wit Western society. Boko Haram see Nigeria as kontri wey dey run by non-believers weda na Muslim be president or not. Dis na according to one old BBC tori. Even though pipo bin reason say dem don dey weak ova di years bicos of how di Nigerian military and joint operations wit neighbouring kontris dey sama dem, Boko Haram attacks for Nigeria don dey more frequent ova di last three years. Attacks wey dey linked to di group don gradually increase for di last three years, from 105 attacks for 2022, to 147 for 2023 and 191 for 2024, according to BBC analysis for data from SBM intelligence wey be African focused security intel gathering firm. For 2025, di first recorded attack happun for 4 January, wen di group block Nigerian sojas for Sabon Gari village, and kill six pipo. Just nine days afta, for January 13, Boko Haram attack Dumba village near Baga and kill 40 farmers and fishermen. Oda attacks don dey happun evri month dis year, wit increasing frequency and dey mark trend wey dey cause fear, di trend say kasala don start again and so far don dey burst for rural communities and just outside urban centres. Signs say palava don start again? On 8 April, 2025, Govnor of Borno state, Babagana Umara Zulum raise alarm on top new Boko Haram attacks and di increase in kidnappings. E say di group dey come back again by targeting military bases and killing civilians. E tok say, "dis killing of innocent pipo and security personnel dey alarming and e mark serious setback both for Borno State and di wider northeastern region". Tori of increase in kasala for Borno and Yobe states suggest say di group fit neva dey defeated as dem bin dey tink. Aliyu Harande wey come from Mafa tell BBC afta last year attack say, "wetin we take our eyes see no be just small act of violence. Na sign say we don dey loose hope and courage. Evribodi dey fear and pipo dey struggle make dem no run mad. "For us wey bin tink say dia activities don come down, dis event make us know say dem dey regroup." Zanna Umara, na official of Tarmuwa local goment council and e tell BBC say, "we no dey pray make dem come back, but di level of di attack for Mafa, e be like say dem dey arrange dia comeback". Dr Kabir Adamu, Managing Director of Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited reveal say di recent rise in attacks fit dey linked to some factors. E say di first na di Islamic State release of "global order wey ginger dia colleagues to increase attacks, and we don see many groups wey don dey ansa di call". Di second factor wey Dr Adama point to na seasonal patterns. E say, "just bifor di rainy season, dis groups dey normally increase dia work bicos dem know say military operations dey normally slow down dat time bicos of say di road dey hard to move and limited visibility". E also say di main reason na regional instability. E say, "kasala for di Sahel, especially for kontris like Chad, Niger and Burkina Faso wey don weak border security wey dey make dis groups to move, recruit and receive support freely". E also tok say di internal changes for di structure of Nigeria military don play role. Dis na especially bicos of how dem don move equipment and personnel from di northeast go di northwest. But di Nigeria goment say di increase in Boko Haram attacks na bicos of how dem dey grow for neighbouring kontris. Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, wey be Nigeria defence minister tell BBC say, "no look di rise in attacks alone o! Wetin dey happun for our neighbouring kontris dey important. Insurgents don increase dia activities all ova di region and dat don enta wetin we dey face for Nigeria." According to di United Nations Development Program (UNDP), ova 35,000 na im dey estimated say Boko Haram attacks don kill from 2009 to 2024. Dis include seven attacks for just 2024 wey don cause ova 200 deaths and ova 300 injuries wey be hike compared to former years. UNDP say di attacks dey happun mostly for north-eastern Nigeria, especially dat Borno State wia Boko Haram and dia pikin ISWAP dey continue to target civilians and military personnel. As Nigerians dey face di double wahala of increased living costs and increased insurgent kasala, e dey test di strength of pipo wey dey directly affected well-well. Harande say, "wetin we go face first, na di cost of living wahala abi di insecurity and fear for our lives?" As village pipo - di most common civilian victims of insurgent attacks – dey mourn dia losses and rebuild dia lives, dem dey do am wit fear and panic sake of say dem no know wen di next attack go come. Hajara Idris (no be her real name) tell BBC afta di attack for Mafa say, "my pikin dem dey fear, we no even know weda e dey safe to go back. Di army dey here but I no feel safe again". No be only her dey feel like dat. Fatima Bakar (no be her real name) also get dis fears. She say, "Di attack don traumatize us. We don see tins wey we neva imagine and e be like say place no dey wey go dey safe for is. Even wit di army, I dey fear evri night say Boko Haram go come back".
