The Shongweni Dam and Nature Reserve is located in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. It was established in 1927 [1] and consists of 17 thousand hectares of nature reserve. [2]
The Reserve is eutrophic [3] in nature and is home to a range of wildlife including, but not limited to buffalo, giraffe, wildebeest and more than 250 species of birds. [4] The Shongweni Dam and Nature Reserve is used for both tourism and trade given its diverse wildlife, and physical activities such as canoeing and game viewing. [5]
The Umlazi River which originates from the south west of Pietermaritzburg flows through Baynesfield, Mapstone Dam and Thornlea Dam before reaching Shongweni Dam. [6] [7]
Howick is a town located in the UMngeni Local Municipality of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The town is 1050 m above sea level, and about 88 kilometres from the port city of Durban. It experiences warm summers and cool, dry winters. A snappy chill descends upon Howick when snow falls on the nearby Drakensberg. The town is located on the N3 freeway, connecting it with the rest of South Africa.
Amanzimtoti, locally nicknamed Toti, and officially renamed to eManzimtoti, is a coastal town just south of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Situated along the Sapphire Coast, the town is well known for its warm climate and numerous beaches, and is a popular tourist destination, particularly with surfers.
oThongathi, previously and still commonly known as Tongaat, is a town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, about 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of Durban and 28 kilometres (17 mi) south of KwaDukuza. It now forms part of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, or the Greater Durban area. The area is home to the oldest Indian community in South Africa, having been where the first indentured Indian laborers settled in 1860 to work in the sugar-cane plantations. Much of the architectural style in the town was the work of Ivan Mitford-Barberton, and many buildings are in the Cape Dutch style of architecture.
eMdloti, alternatively rendered Umdloti and also known as Umdloti Beach, is a small resort village situated along the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, South Africa. It lies at the mouth of the Mdloti River approximately 24 km north-east of Durban and 11 km north-east of uMhlanga and now forms part of eThekwini, the Greater Durban Metropolitan Municipality.
The Umgeni River or Mgeni River is a river in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It rises in the "Dargle" in the KZN Midlands, and its mouth is at Durban, some distance north of Durban's natural harbour. It is generally agreed its name means "the river of entrance" in Zulu, though other meanings have been suggested.
Concor Holdings (Proprietary) Limited. is a South African construction and mining services company. It is active throughout Southern Africa, involved in civil engineering, buildings, roads and mining projects. Concor returned as an independent brand in late 2016.
Skukuza, a town in Mpumalanga located 57 km east of Hazyview at the confluence of the N'waswitshaka and Sabie Rivers, is the administrative headquarters of the Kruger National Park.
Marievale Bird Sanctuary is a protected area in Gauteng, South Africa. It is a Ramsar site about 15 km2 in size, and situated on the East Rand on the southern half of the Blesbokspruit wetland. The Blesbokspruit is a major perennial river in Gauteng which is flanked by extensive floodplains on either side. Nearby is the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve.
The Western Cape Water Supply System (WCWSS) is a complex water supply system in the Western Cape region of South Africa, comprising an inter-linked system of six main dams, pipelines, tunnels and distribution networks, and a number of minor dams, some owned and operated by the Department of Water and Sanitation and some by the City of Cape Town.
Boskop Dam is an earth-fill type dam on the Mooi River, near Potchefstroom, North West Province, South Africa. It was constructed in 1959. The main purpose of the dam is for irrigation and domestic usage. Its hazard potential is ranked as high, due to poor maintenance and the development of sink holes.
uMngeni Municipality is a local municipality within the Umgungundlovu District Municipality, in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. The municipality is named after the uMngeni River that runs through the municipal area.
Palmiet Nature Reserve is located in Westville, a town located ten kilometres from Durban, South Africa. The reserve is made up of a wide variety of natural habitats ranging from forests to grassland. Hundreds of bird species have been recorded and the tree list is extensive. There are a number of self-guided trails that include river crossings. The diversity seen in the Palmiet Nature Reserve has been extensively threatened by human activity and invasive species, leading to the need for more pronounced guidelines on how to protect and reserve the area.
The Kruger National Park is a South African National Park and one of the largest game reserves in Africa. Originally known as The Sabi Game Reserve, it became a game reserve in 1898. The park became known as Kruger National Park in 1926, when it was named after Paul Kruger.
Empisini Nature Reserve was established in 1973 and is situated in Umkomaas, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The reserve is approximately 60 ha in extent and is owned by the borough of uMkhomanzi which has been incorporated into the eThekwini municipality. Empisini is managed jointly by eThekwini and the Umkomaas centre of the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa. Empisini takes its name from a perennial stream which flows through it, and means "Place of the Hyena" in isiZulu. The reserve consists of coastal forest, wetlands, grassy slopes and a dam. Infrastructure consists of hiking trails, demarcated picnic sites, overnight cabins, and a tree house.
The Department of Water and Sanitation is one of the departments of the South African government. It is responsible for the state of water and sanitation in South Africa.
Yellowwood Park is a quiet suburb of the city of Durban, South Africa, established in 1960. It is 14 km southwest of central Durban.
Silverglen Nature Reserve is a 460 hectare conservancy on the Umlaas River located aside the suburb of Silverglen, Chatsworth, KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. The reserve is the largest piece of coastal grassland and bush clump mosaic in Greater Durban, and is home to the first medicinal plant nursery in Africa, established in 1986.
Giba Gorge Nature Reserve is an environmental precinct in Outer West Durban, South Africa. The gorge is a natural valley carved by the Giba River, with steep rocky cliffs and natural grassland slopes. Within the precinct is a mountain bike park with a 35km single track.
Christopher "Chris" John Pappas is a South African politician who is the mayor of the uMngeni Local Municipality. A member of the Democratic Alliance, he served as party's deputy provincial leader from 2021 until 2023. Pappas served as a member of the eThekwini city council from 2016 until 2019 and as a DA Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature from 2019 to 2021.