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MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE NORTHERN DRAKENSBERG COLLABORATIVE HELD AT
THE BERGVILLE SPORTS COMPLEX ON 7 NOVEMBER 2024
1INTRODUCTION
A meeting of the NDC members took place on 7 November 2024at the Sports Complex in
Bergville. While a number oforganisations were not able to attend, the meeting was valuable
and led to a number of community members being selected to attend themeeting of the
Bergville Catchment Management Forum that took place on 27 November 2024. The agenda
for the meeting is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Agenda for the meeting at Bergville on 7 November 2024.
2FEEDBACK ON 2024 ACTIVITIES
Feedback was provided on the following elements.
2.1NDC strategy
Brigid Letty (Institute of Natural Resources, INR) provided an overview of the outcomes of the
strategy development phase and the efforts to establish working groups / communities of
practices / themes that focus on specific issues as shown in Figure 3. All inputs were translated
into isiZulu to ensure inclusivity.
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Figure 2: Overview of the value proposition offered by the NDC partnership.
Figure 3: Proposed working groups that emerged from the NDC core team meeting inAugust
2024
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2.2NDC website
NDC members were introduced to the website of the NDC, and the need for keeping it
updated was highlighted.
Figure 4: Home page of the NDC website.
2.3March meeting in Bergville
Feedback was provided on the discussions that took placeat theNDC meeting in Bergville in
March 2024 and outcomes thereof.
•The draft strategy was shared, including indicators for monitoring and evaluation.
•Organisations gave updates: Agricultural Research Council (ARC) alien plant mapping,
South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI)–policy, local proposed cannabis
project, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment(DFFE)talked about
their herbicide programme, input was provided regarding the feasibility for the Water
Fund, and two students gave inputs on their studies.
•The membersdiscussed way forward beyond WWF PepsiCoproject in terms of how
to cover the costs of partnership meetings and activities.
•Key points:
•A representative of a Traditional Authority asked for space in June meeting to
talk about activities that they would like to undertake and for which they
would like support.
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•There was a discussion about the need to find ways to assist communities to
access herbicide – especially when voluntary groups are clearing invasive alien
plant species.
•There was a suggestion for a working group on water access and a discussion
about implications of changes to DWS policies
•The Expanded Terrestrial Environmental Observation Network (EFTEON) and
WWF committed to support an event in June 2024 (but it only happened in
November)
2.4Exchange visit in August
Lungelo Buthelezi from Mahlathini Development Foundation provide feedback on the
exchange visit that they hosted at Stulwane in August 2024 based on Figure 5.
Figure 5: Summary of key information related to the exchange visit in August 2024.
There was some discussion about the box baler being demonstrated in the photograph in
Figure 5, which has allowed livestock owners to store fodder for winter.
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Figure 6: Lungelo Buthelezi (Mahlathini) providingan update onthe exchange visit in August
3UPDATE ON PEPSICO FOUNDATION PHASE 2
Zinhle Ntombela (INR) provided an update on the nature of the activities to be undertaken
with the funds made available to the convening team and WildTrust by WWF as a result of a
no-cost extension being granted by Pepsico Foundation.
Figure 7: Key elements of the second phase of the Pepsico funding.
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This second phase willsupport partnership activities up until October 2025. The activities of
the convening team that are funded through the contract are as follows:
•Provide secretariat role for NDC as CoP for water stewardship
•Stakeholder engagement
•Quarterly stakeholder meetings, events or symposiums
•Strengthening strategy document for long-term sustainability of NDC
•Develop M&E framework for NDC
•Develop concept notes and funding proposals
•Operationalise the working groups / CoPs
•Develop M&E framework for the working groups.
4UPDATES FROM NDC MEMBERS
No specific updates from other members were provided within this item in the agenda,
however Brigid andZinhle updated members on a number of projects that have relevance for
the NDC.
4.1The Lewis Foundation Cross-Catchment Collaboration
Some information was shared about this initiative that is developing a programme of work
for cross-catchment collaboration, learning and knowledge sharing.
Figure 8: Key information pertaining to the Lewis Foundation Catchment Collaboration
initiative.
This is being coordinated by Faye Brownell through the Institute of Natural Resources.
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4.2EBA-Farm
Zinhle provided an update on the proposal that is being developed by a consultant on behalf
of SANBI for submission to the Green Climate Fund (GCF). A number of NDC members
attended the meeting in Bergville on 6 November 2024, where consultants were gathering
information from stakeholders to inform the project proposal.
Figure 9: Key information related to the GCF project EBA-Farm being developed on behalf
of SANBI.
5IDENTIFICATION AND PRIORITISATION OF ISSUES FOR 2025
This agenda item was integrated into the earlier items and it was not necessary to have a
discussion specifically focused on this. Points that emerged from earlier discussions are
summarised below:
•Access to herbicide requires that applicants have the necessary training – can we
cover training of people from selected communities?
oINR to explore options with Minesh (e.g. does the training need to be by an
accredited provider).
oBrigid to ask on the whatsapp group for names of communities that would
like to send representatives for herbicide training (e.g. two people per
traditional authority).
•There was substantial discussion about water-related legislation (See Figure 10):
oClive Mhlane updated the members about Section 10 of the National Water
Act (NWA) that allows for water provision on privately owned land.
oThe relationships between the catchment management agency (CMA),
catchment management forum (CMF) and water user association (WUA)
were discussed.
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oThe participation of the NDC in the CMF: To enhance community
representation, the following individuals were identified to attend the CMF
meeting on 27 November, as members of the Water Access Working Group:
▪Mrs. Shabalala
▪Mhle Zondo
▪Mr. Hlongwane (Councillor from the Amangwane Tribal Authority).
Figure 10: Schematic of the different structures related to water governance
Other points discussed:
•How do we seek to ensure the involvement of the farmers that have been engaged
in developing the EBA-Farm proposal in the NDC? Bawinile Mtolo undertook to
contact the Agriculture Association (AP: Bawinile Mtolo)
•Fund-raising and proposal development:
oIt was highlighted that communities need to be involved when proposals are
being developed.
oThere was a suggestion to engage Rand Water about possible funding for
clearing woody alien species in the catchment of the dam. It was suggested
that a delegation including representatives from the Local Municipality need
to visit Rand Water.
oBawinile suggested that we contact Lucy Collins about fundraising (AP Brigid
and Bawinile to contact Lucy)
•Membership of the Water Access working group was discussed.
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Clive Mhlane from DWS is willing to play an advisory role.
oThe separation of roles of the NDC working group and the Community Water
& Sanitation Forum needs to be clarified – it was suggested that they be
invited to attend NDC meetings (AP: Zinhle/Lungelo). The forum addresses
domestic water needs as well as other matters such as clearing alien plants.
oThe Water Services Authority (WSA) also needs to be engaged.
oIt was suggested that the uThukela WSA be invited to present to the NDC
(AP: Zinhle/Lungelo).
•Interventions to manage veld burning
oNothile Zondi (Stulwane) asked whether Traditional Authorities could speak
to communities about preventing fires.
oThere was discussion about the new Herding for Health project and the
possibility that an event could be arranged through the project in 2025.
oIt was proposed that an event that addresses livestock and rangelands be
held in April 2025v (possibly hosted by WildTrust).
6DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING
The participants settled on Tuesday 11 February 2025 as the date for the next meeting of the
NDC and it was suggested that it should be held in Bergville at the Bergville Sport Centre.