The Presidential Climate Commission has engaged with residents of Mpumalanga on issues of climate change. They held public consultations in mining areas of Carolina and Secunda.
Water and air pollution were some of the concerns raised by the residents.
The Climate Change Commissioner Happy Nkambule says the dialogues will assist government and all its social partners to have an understanding on the country’s climate change response.
“Communities are quite clear that there’s opposing views we do need development there are jobs in this industries, but on the other side is that this industries are creating this social ills that our community are facing, so how do we balance that one thing that starting to come out more? So I believe right here in Mpumalanga more than in other areas diversification of the economy particularly not being held by one provider of employment is quite key.”
Climate Change I Global warming driven by greenhouse gas emissions from human activity
Crop farmers faced with challenges as result of climate change
Crop farmers say they are faced with many challenges as a result of climate change. They say they have to cope with drought, floods, soil erosion and biodiversity loss.
Molefi Moleme has been a farmer for almost 10 years and he says it is not easy. “The challenges the farmers are facing now is too much rain that we received because sometimes after planting on that day the rain can be too much – up to 70% and then we have to replant again.
“Now that thing wastes a lot of your money because maybe you’ve planted on that day 60 hectares, 60 hectares to plant is too much money. Another thing is, maybe you’ve planted last week and this week it rains when the plants are trying to germinate, and the plants now don’t need too much water because the soil becomes stagnant and they will wield and die,” says Moleme.
