Zandisile Luphahla, the provincial spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development, and Land Reform, says challenges such as air and plastic pollution, illegal wildlife trade, amongst others, came in the spotlight during celebrations on Saturday. 

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Celebrated under the theme ‘Ecosystem Restoration’, South Africa joined more than 143 countries in celebrating the day, and as such, the month of June will be declared the National Environment Month in the province and country, says Luphahla in a statement.  

MEC Mase Manopole will lead the Department in a month-long planned environment month filled with activities that will take place across the province. “Our focus this year will be about restoring our ecosystem as the theme suggests, especially by combatting desertification and drought in our province,” says Manopole. 

The MEC further adds, “that the challenge of the health of ecosystems on which we and all species depend upon is deteriorating more rapidly than ever. Thus affecting the very foundation of our economies, livelihoods, food security, health and the quality of life at large”. 

Luphahla says currently the Northern Cape has six listed threatened ecosystems, namely the Cape Vernal Pools, Lower Gariep Alluvial Vegetation, Bokkeveld Sandstone Fynbos, Eastern temperate Freshwater Wetlands, the Namib Seashore Vegetation, and the Nieuwoudtville Shale Renosterveld.

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