Mopane worms
In the far north region of Vhembe, there are highly-treasured trees but these Mopane shrubs have recently being under siege.
Wildlife expert have issued a stern warning that if people do not start to protect them from the hands of merciless woodcutters, they could lead to dire consequences for the indigenous birds and animals of the area.
Recently, the Niani area has experienced an unprecedented raid by invaders who go there with no better intention but to chop these treasured trees for firewood.
As a result of this cruelty against nature, the trees, which are a major food source for the protein-rich Mopani worm, might soon go extinct.
This could ultimately lead to a lack of resources to make its inhabitants self-sufficient.
One of the local residents, Adam Mulaudzi says majority of the locals dependent on the Mopani trees as a source of life.
Mulaudzi also says the destruction of these trees is a cause for concern.
“Things were fine when people only took the dead trees for firewood. It was regulated, not what we are witnessing today. These trees used to be our gold mine, with the elderly people harvesting many kilogrammes of the Mopani worms on an annual basis. They would later sell them and improve their living conditions from the proceeds of their sales, but today we see big trucks, fully loaded with wood, emerging from the bushes. This practice really needs to stop urgently. We must all take part in preserving our environment for the future generations,” he said.
Another community member, Eric Mandiwana, said no more control and order existed in the village. “Our environment is being stripped bare under our watch. The previous government had stricter laws that ensured the environment stayed intact, but all this has changed, and people do as they please. There are so many unemployed young people here who can perform the task of controlling woodcutting,” he said.
Spokesperson for the Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, Zaid Kalla reminded residents of the environmental importance, adding that communities should be actively involved in its safekeeping.
Kalla said “It should be remembered that plants and trees play a very critical role in the management of climate change and the environment in general. Without plants and trees, there would be dire consequences as witnessed in other parts of the country. This could also lead to serious soil erosion, to the detriment of the community. “It should be taken into consideration that cutting trees without a permit is illegal. As a department, we are doing all we can to arrest this scourge. We are on constant patrols in the area and this has helped in reducing the rampant sale of firewood in the area. However, we still call on communities to be actively involved in safeguarding their environment.”
Mopane Tree