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Report on the NDC Fieldtrip to Stulwane
27 September 2023
Objective of the day
The key purpose of the day was to provide a space for members of the Northern Drakensberg
Collaborative (NDC) to share experiences in the field towards consolidating the partnership’s key
themes / working groups. Since the field trip was initiated by a session at the Emmaus community hall,
there was also opportunity for team members ofthe MAPWAPS project (full title: Mapping woody
invasive alien plant species and their impacts in strategic water source areas) to provide input as they
wanted to use the opportunity to update NDCmembers.
The event was attended by the following organisations: African Conservation Trust (ACT), WILDTRUST,
MahlathiniDevelopment Foundation, Institute of Natural Resources (INR), Agricultural Research
Council (ARC), Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW), Endangered Willdlife TRUST (EWT), KZN No-till Club,
Expanded Fresh Waterand Terrestrial Earth Observation Network(EFTEON), University of KwaZulu-
Natal’s Centre for Water Resources Research (UKZN-CWRR), Maluti-Drakensberg Transfrontier
Programme (MDTP) and community members from AmaZizi, AmaNgwane and AmaSwazi.
Apologies were received fromrepresentatives ofDepartmentof Forestry, Fisheries and the
Environment (DFFE), University of the Free State (UFS), Northern Drakensberg Nature Reserve, Peaks
Foundation, WWF, Conservation Outcomesand the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS).
Summary of the field trip
Prepared by Hlengiwe Hlongwane (Mahlathini Development Foundation)
Introductory session
On the 27thof September 2023, there was a NorthernDrakensberg Collaborative engagement in
Emmaus Hall, with different stakeholders from different organisations working in the Uthukela
catchment,and a field visit to Stulwaneto see the work Mahlathini DF. The day started with
introductions, then a presentation from Stellenbosch PHD and master’sstudents, Liam and Thandeka,
working on the MapWaps project, which is a project that is in the Uthukela catchment(and other
catchments in SA) that is funded by the WRCand maps out woody alien invasive species(Wattle,
Gumtreesand Popular)and estimate their water impacts in strategic water areas, as well as their
economic impacts. This project will run from the 12th -26thof October in the Uthukelacatchment and
those interested to join the work are invited to do so on these days.
A presentation from Mahlathini DF by Temakholo Mathebula followed, which gave an idea or an
image of who Mahlathini is, how it works and what it does, from establishing learner groups, doing
farmer-led experimentations, collaborations,and relationships in the areas MDF works in. an
Ecological map created with the communities pointing out water natural resources such as water
sources, grazing lands, wetlands, other key areas that need intervention such as erosions, alien plants,
etc. was used as an exampleof the processes that MDF go through with farmers. The presentation
then got into more detail about what came out from the discussions that MDF-WRC had with the two
communities (Ezibomvini and Stulwane), which included the identification of key areas, their
importance, interventions required,and stakeholders involved, and then the outcomes of those
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discussions and plans made which is the community working together voluntarily to clear pollution
and invasive alien species anddoing Restorations.There was also a brief description of the other work
that MDF does, such as the water access projects, CA and its principles, livestock integrations and
organic intensive home gardening.
Figure 1: Presentation From MDF, by Temakholo Mathebulo.
Restoration Site Visit
After the two presentations,the meeting moved to Stulwane, starting off at the Restoration site,
where there are brush packs built to reduce the erosion, restoration of vegetations and run off pans
to measure and compare run off between bare soil and soils with grasses/vegetation. Lizzy Buthelezi,
an MDF eco champ explained to people when they started working on the restoration site, howit
looked like before, how they built the brush packs and tools used to make contours, and the purpose
of it.
Figure 2: Restoration site Visit in Corstone.
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Water Access Work
From the Restoration site, we went to the protected spring, on our way there, seeing and having small
discussions about the ditches by the road that were dug by the community for the new water access
project. At the protected spring, people were impressed by how natural the spring was kept after
protection and the ditch/contour that was dug above the spring to prevent the spring water from
getting contaminated by run offs.The new water project was further explained, that extraction is to
be done from two streams and reticulated down to two sections of the stulwane community for multi-
purpose use, following the laws around water and its extractions.
Figure 3: Visit to the protected spring in Stulwane.
CA and Homestead Food Gardening
From the spring and water access, the day was closed off by visiting the Msele household to see the
CA and intensive homestead gardening components. There was a table set up, next to Nelisiwe
Msele’s Tunneldisplayingfresh produce, seedlings made by one of MDF farmersto show the
homestead food gardening component, eggs produced in the householdalso by a farmerto show the
poultry component, fodder grasses samples(black oats, tall fescue and white oats), bales and bail
making machineto show the livestock integration component, the animal drawn planter, Mbilisand
dry maize to show the CA trials component.
Mr Madondo briefly took the visitors through CA principles ashad been previouslymentioned in the
MDF presentation, showing them the tools that are used in the minimal disturbance of soil principles
and showing maize from the trials as result. Then explaining of the use of the tunnel, trench beds and
showing the organic fresh vegetables that were harvested are still growing inside the tunnel, the drip
irrigation system which allows the use of grey water, a tower garden next to the tunnel, with stone
column in the middle toallow the use of grey water as well. People were impressed by the organic
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production of vegetables and even bought almost all the vegetables that were displayed such as
spinach, Parsley, cauliflower,andspring onion.Following are pictures from Nelisiwe Msele’s HH.
Figure 4: Display of climate smart agricultural practices and products including no-till planter and manual baler
Figure 5: Lungelo Buthelezi explaining Mahlathini’s climate smart agriculture programme
Closing session
Following the sharing of information about climate smart agricultural interventions, there was
opportunity for a short exchange around the day’s activities before closing for lunch, which was
prepared by members of the local community.
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Appendix 1: Agenda for the fieldtrip
09h15 Arrival at Emmaus Community Hall
09h30 Welcome and introductions – Zinhle Ntombela and Michael Malinga [20 min]
•Input from Liam Cogill – Introduction to the MAPWAPS programme [20 min]
•Input from Mahlathini – Providing a context for the field trip [20 min]
•Logistics for the field trip [20 minutes]
11h00 Departure for Stulwane
11h45 – 13h15 Field trip (1.5 hours)
•Visit restoration demonstration & community work
•Visit spring protection and water supply system
•Visit agro-ecology, fodder and conservation agriculture work
13h15 - General discussion [30 min]
13h45 Lunch at Stulwane
15h00 Departure
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Appendix 2: Attendance register