Deputy Minister Narend Singh: Invasive Alien Plants Clearing Hackathon
Programme Director,
Honourable MEC of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Reverend Musa Zondi,
His Worship the Executive Mayor of King Cetshwayo District Municipality, Cllr Sikhumbuzo Dlamini,
His Worship the Mayor of the City of uMhlathuze, Cllr Xolani Ngwezi,
Traditional and community leaders,
Partners from industry, civil society and environmental organisations,
Educators and learners,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is an honour to join you in Brackenham to see the concrete expression of a collaborative effort to safeguard our environment and enhance the lives of the people.
The reason this hackathon is special today is that it was not initiated inside government. It came from the community of Brackenham. During my interaction with the community on 9 May 2026, their specific concerns included overgrowth of the vegetation, invasive alien plants, dumping and lack of safety in the green belt. I made a commitment that this will be addressed. Today, I keep that promise.
This is not a one-off cleaning exercise. It is about restoring an urban degraded natural area, protecting biodiversity, creating safe public spaces and – importantly – ensuring maintenance in the aftermath of today.
Today did not begin this morning. It follows a mobilisation process because we cannot undertake environmental restoration without making sure that people understand what needs to be done and are part of that process. People must understand what are invasive alien plants and why they affect biodiversity and water resources and what to do when encountering these species.
It is about changing their behaviour: encouraging the reporting of dumping and invasive alien plants and ensuring that households, schools, companies and community-based organisations become active participants in maintaining their own spaces.
The City of uMhlathuze has its awareness program that covers schools, clinics, ward committees and industry. According to section 24 of the Constitution, our department has to assist municipalities in this respect and this day builds on that foundation. This awareness must not stop when we disperse but continue through our schools, wards, companies and community-based structures.
The intervention area covers approximately 2.18 hectares. Approximately 200 participants will clear priority invasive plant species: Triffid weed (Chromolaena), Lantana, Syringa, Castor Oil bush and Yellow bells and removing dumping and illegal waste. This is physical work: cleaning the vegetation, removing the dumping, improving the accessibility and restoring what belongs to this community.
The safety is our priority today. Every participant must attend the safety brief and wear proper protective gear. Specialised equipment is to be operated only by authorised persons. Any herbicide application has to adhere to the appropriate safety requirements. Please listen to our Safety Officer and our technical team, no intervention is worth a person's health or even life.
Our EPWP and CWP participants are central to today's activities. Through EPWP, the government has an instrument to address the problem of unemployment while undertaking beneficial interventions for communities. This is how DFFE's Environmental Programmes Branch implements the departmental strategy for addressing the problems of unemployment, poverty and inequality directly.
We link environmental restoration to job creation, job creation to the skill development and skill development to maintenance of the environment. To give you some context: in 2022/23, DFFE-funded flood mopping programme provided 772 work opportunities in uMhlathuze, Nkandla, uMfolozi, uMlalazi and Mthonjaneni districts and another 100 through Source to Sea project. These numbers are historical and not 2026 figures.
Looking at the current projects: the KwaZulu-Natal In-house Model Youth Graduates Project provided work for 51 graduates in 2025/26 in uMfolozi and uMlalazi districts and the number increased to 56 for 2026/27. For 2026/27, the Working for Water will provide 120 participants from Mthonjaneni district with employment clearing invasive alien plants. The Working for the Coast will engage 29 participants from uMfolozi, 28 participants from uMlalazi and 40 from the City of uMhlathuze in coastal waste removal.
Every one of those numbers is a person, youth looking for work, woman providing for the household, person taking a first step in the job market. Our EPWP participants are partners, not statistics. The true test for this hackathon is not the appearance of this greenbelt after today but three months from now. If plants return, if dumping continues and the greenbelt turns overgrown again, we will have solved the symptom but not the problem.
The City of uMhlathuze and our partners require a clear follow-up programme: site inspections, planned clearing, checking the regrowth and new infestations, waste removal, reporting channels and periodic review of the progress. We can also use today's events as an introduction to the environmental education and skills development of our EPWP participants and youth in general. Today we clear, tomorrow we inspect and thereafter we maintain.
Richards Bay and surrounding uMhlathuze district have significant industrial and commercial activity which means that our environmental challenges require us to collaborate with partners beyond the government. I would like to pay tribute to our private sector partners involved in today's event, such as Foskor, Richards Bay Coal Terminal, South32, Mondi, GIZ, Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone, Mpact and Transnet.
Everyone is responsible for a healthy environment. Industry needs environmental sustainability. Community needs safe public space. Municipality needs properly maintained urban space. National government needs strong partners to implement its policies.
Overgrown greenbelt may seem nothing but untidy vegetation, and yet it is more than that. Invasive alien plants prevent indigenous species from growing, destroy habitat, disrupt ecosystems and affect our water resources. Coastal dune forests, wetlands, grassland and riverine systems of uMhlathuze district are depending on the condition of greenbelts like the one we are dealing with today.
This is why Department's Working for Water programme is a vital instrument in our fight against biological invasions. In 2026/27, Working for Water will clear 159,878 hectares across South Africa and at the same time will build community participation, awareness and regulation. Today's efforts in Brackenham is the part of that programme.
To the people of Brackenham: this is your greenbelt. Government may have resources, programs and technical expertise but we cannot maintain every square metre without you. Please do not dump in this greenbelt, please prevent others from doing so and report if something happens. Please take part in the future cleanings and help your youth see environmental protection as a responsibility and opportunity.
To the youth among us today: you are not simply cleaning the vegetation today but learning about your environment, acquiring skills and showing to all of South Africa that young South Africans are able to solve environmental challenges. We want this day to open up opportunities – learning opportunities, work experience and work in the green economy. Cleaner environment and skilled workers are two sides of the sustainable future.
Today brings together the national, provincial and local governments, EPWP and CWP participants, industry, environmental organisations, educators, youth and residents. This is precisely what is needed to deal with the environmental challenges we face. None of the institutions can do this alone.
The lesson of Brackenham is more than the 2.18 hectare site we are clearing today. It is about listening to the communities, fulfilling our commitments and linking environmental restoration with employment and skills.
Let today's clearing be the beginning of the collaborative process involving the City of uMhlathuze, King Cetshwayo District Municipality, national and provincial governments, EPWP participants, industry, civil society and, most importantly, the people of Brackenham. Let us make this place cleaner, safer and healthier and leave a greenbelt that the next generation can be proud of.
To everyone who made today possible, to the residents who initiated this process and to everyone who holds tools in their hands today – thank you. Together, let us clear today, restore tomorrow and protect our environment for many years to come.
I thank you.
Enquiries:
Zolile Nqayi
Cell: 082 898 6483
E-mail: znqayi@dffe.gov.za
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