Slow Violence Is Not A Class Blind Concept

Slow Violence 

By Bonolo Mokwele Meso 

Violence is often defined as "the intentional use of physical force  of power , threatened or actual ,against oneself, another person or against a group or community,which either result in or has a high likelihood resulting in injury , death , psychological harm , underdevelopment or deprivation" [World health organisation 2004] . However Rob Nixon redefines the term violence in his book Slow Violence And The Environmentalism of The Poor. In this book Nixon writes pragmatically about the difficulties in fighting what he calls " spectacle deficient" environmental crises like climate change , compromised ecosystems and toxic waste whose victims are spread over time and place; these processes , Nixon says are , slow violence . Pervasive , devastating and unnoticed. This blog will take the form of a picture essay and air pollution will be the violator of concern, on will seek to use images that could perhaps increase the public's awareness on slow violence.  

Just as slow violence is made invisible by its subtle pace and scattered impacts, its victims themselves are invisible, at least in the tiny and shifting lens of the world media. These are microminorities , the marginalized women in already marginalized society ; often slow violence occurs in the "passive voice '  , the suffering is a shame of course but it comes as a side effect rather than through the immediate action from any responsible party , leaving a trail of excuses and denial. Who is responsible or rather whose fault is it   when a child goes hungry ? whose fault is it when leukemia clusters come 10 years later after and a hundred miles away from disaster ? I don't know but what I can say is that " slow violence is not a class blind concept . it is mostly the poor who are most vulnerable to the slow violence of malnutrition and environmental pollution, they often struggle alone as atomized individuals.  

Perpetrator  1 = Power Plants 

Perpetrator  2 = Air Transportation  

Perpetrator 3 = Car Fumes 

Perpetrator 4 = Human Activity 

Smog hanging over cities is the most familiar and more obvious form of " slow violence", the more obvious from of air pollution some visible and some invisible that  contribute to global warming. Generally any substance that people the( perpetrators of violence) throw into the atmosphere that has damaging effects on living things and the environment is considered air pollution. 

Carbon dioxide , a greenhouse gas , is considered to be largely the  main pollutant that is warming the earth. Though living species/ things emit carbon dioxide when they breath, carbon dioxide is widely considered  to be a pollutant when associated with cars , planes, power plants, and other human activities  as seen in the pictures above. In the past 150 years such activities have pumped enough carbon dioxide into the atmosphere to raise its levels higher than they have been for hundreds of thousand of years.

WHY DO YOU INSIST ON HURTING ME WHEN ALL I'VE DONE THROUGH OUT THE YEARS IS LOVE YOU ?

Personal Narrative on slow violence. 

When we have cut up all the roots to her trees,

When we have hunted all her animals,

When  all the air she gives is unsafe to breathe only then will we realise we can not eat money , yes money the paper we can not eat it in the literal sense. We can no longer suck from her breast and expect nourishment because perhaps we would have commodified  her breasts too.  

Mother earth and all of her children have a built desire to keep things in balance and harmony . Over the years though, we her children have seriously upset that balance; all we continue to do is destroy forests to make more farming land, erect buildings for the sole purpose of making a profit, more people equal to more food. The same holds true for oceans. More humans need more, houses,cars, clothes, television sets, internet gadgets and other material possessions typically accumulated over a lifetime. It is a vicious cycle that is destroying our planet. 

Mother earth is starting to fight back , she does not like being out of balance , quite frankly she can no longer endure all the abuse, enough is enough. She is fighting back because her children's arrogance and selfishness have gotten out of control. We see this with the violent weather patterns, global warming, increasing volcano activity, excessive rain and snow, rising sea levels, plague like conditions,etc are all warring signs that our Mother is highly upset. She is crying because all she has ever done is provide us with love and nourishment from hear breasts like an ordinary mother would to her child.But, because of greed and money  we have become separated from our source of  life  which has resulted to our self-centeredness. This self-centeredness will lead to our demise sooner than we think if we do not make things right with our Mother. 

In concluding '' Slow Violence" is inspiring , innovative to an extent and passionate, Nixon forces us to confront some of the most urgent issues facing the continued existence  of humans on the planet , He re-energizes environmental literature , infusing the filed with the transitional concerns of world literature ,and creatively reinvigorates post colonial studies.

Sources Consulted 

Nixon, R. 2011. Slow violence and the environmentalism of the poor. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Khallat, MK. 2011. The Impact of air pollution on health , economy , environment and agriculture. CCBY-NC SA 3.0 license, @ The Authors. 

[environment.nationalgeographic.com/envirionment/global-warming/pollution overview]

accessed 22 April 2016

[www.who.ink/violenceprevention/approach/definition/en/]

The violence that goes unnoticed. Blair Braverman April 4 , 2012 ]

 accessed 22 April 2016 .

It's A Doggy Dog World !

" Companion Species" 

The Concept of "Companion Species" was first brought to use by Cybrog Donna Haraway. She used the term as an exploration into the historical emergence's of animals who are not meat animals, lab animals nor wilderness animals but , animals who are part of a very particular historical relationship.[ Haraway 2007 8-12] 

In her Companion Species Manifesto , Haraway considers  dogs as the most significant example of companion species , the Cyborg being but a toddler in our inter species relations. Furthermore, Haraway also uses the term companion species instead of "companion animal " because she opines that humans have been affected by many species that do not fall into the animal catergory , such as insects bacteria.[ Haraway 2007 :8-9] 

Cellphones, for example can be considered as being a "companion specie" because when they cry we answer and attend  to them as a mother would to a child,  they must be picked up . They must be fed by being plugged into a charger, they must be protected and cared for , in return they provide you with the information you want and the entertainment you need. They grow alongside humans and adapt to to fit their needs, as humans adapt to fit the needs of the device.  This weeks blog will take the form of a photo essay, in which one will document the stories and personal narratives of relations between pets and humans more in particular the relation between dogs and humans that Haraway alludes to. 

 Dog companions with the old 

 When your days are darker than the midnight sky , it is always best to lean on that one friend  who will never betray you. The one who loves you more than he loves himself  .
Photo 1

Dog research has proved that the relationships that older people have with their companion animals , in particular their dogs  show how animals can improve and help a person's emotional and physical well-being. 

The old man in the above picture seems to be very lonely , lonely due to the loss of his beloved wife. He looks somewhat reminiscent of the lovely summer days and , windy autumn afternoons he shared  with his beautiful wife walking their dog . He looks like he yearns for human contact, but not just any human contact but the warm embrace of his loving compassionate wife. His dog seems to understand his yearnings as he too misses his wife's warm touch, but the pair seem to understand that they have to now look out for each other because, well , it's just the the two of them now , the trio has been separated by the inevitable and now the they must continue the journey of life without the other part of the puzzle. His relationship with his dog is more than a master - subordinate relationship , it takes the form of a brotherhood .  

Dog companions with Children 

                                                               

Hey Phuma ! lets act like we cant see  them taking a picture of us ok dude ...
Photo 2

According to the emotional help-guide , children who grow up with pets have less risks of having allergies and asthma , many also learn responsibility , compassion and empathy from having a dog or a pet. Unlike parents or teachers pet companions do not give marching orders. They are always loving and their mere presence have proven to provide a sense of security in children. In some instances having an ever present dog  can help ease the separation anxiety in children when mom and dad are not around.The help-guide also provides that having the love and companionship of a loyal dog can make a child feel special and feel important and this companionship can evidently help children develop a positive self-image. 
      
Tshepo my two year old nephew in photo 2 is one such lad that enjoys playing with his pitsy pups Timone and Phumba . Well at first when he was exposed to these creatures  he used what the psychologists term the flight response , he fled so quickly because he  did not understand how and why these "stuffed toys"  moved and barked. As he became more acquainted  to  these creatures he become more fond of them , because they simply responded with love though they were just pups Timone and Phumba's interactions with Tshepo were much different than those of myself or my brother or anyone else for that matter.    

Can you smell that its the smell of winter , I do not know about you but i'm ready for winter # Winter Must Fall
Photo 3

Dont even think about it his my Human.
Photo 4

Meet Buble my Uncle's Maltese poodle in photo 3 and 4. He is one of the brightest and most gentle dogs ever , he is exceedingly playful and enjoys clever games of dexterity such as "pull the hidden toy under the cabinet with your paw". 

This curious, quick-moving sprite does not need much outdoor exercise, but he surely does enjoy dashing around the yard and more especially around  the parks in the estate in which he lives. 
Maltese are generally peaceful with the the world, though some lines (and individuals ) are more confident and outgoing, and some like Buble are more standoffish or cautious. 

More than most other breeds, Maltese need a great deal of companionship and do not like being left alone for more than a few hours. They tend to express their unhappiness through destructive chewing and barking. Well in Buble's case it was easier for him to surrender his "last born attention seeking position" in the family because well ,there was a new human baby who had been introduced to the family, meaning  he now has someone to fuss and care over just like a big brother would , meaning from these actions he will not be lonely. Buble became very over protective over Baby L seen in photo 4 . His protectiveness became so serious that he would sit/ guard the door in whichever room the baby  was in, especially when baby L took a nap during the day, anybody who dared disturbing his new buddy would have to first deal with him the " bodyguard"  before they could even attempt to get to him.  Buble and Baby L are inseparable , their relationship cannot be broken , and its amazing to watch them grow because their relationship gets stronger. 

Sources Consulted 
Haraway, D. 2007. The Companion Species Manifesto: dogs, people and significant otherness. Chicago Prickly Press. 

[http://www.helpguide.org>emotional-health] 
accessed 14 April 2016. 

The Proposed Epoch That Begins With Human Activity

" The Anthropocene"

By Bonolo Mokwele Meso 

We are one, we are all  part of the circle of life . 

Have you ever stopped and wondered what our world would be like without the birds roaming up in the skies ? How many birds do you actually see on a daily basis ? With that said  how often do you see birds in flocks migrating to far and distant lands for hibernation, or whatever they do when they migrate seasonally?  Sadly hardly ever, could this be because human beings have changed planet earth permanently with the 'Great Acceleration' ? The ' Great Acceleration defined as " human technologies , powers and consumption in [of] the last 70 years that has operated as a key driver of global change " [Holm 2015; 980] . 

That seemingly simple question many have posed has sparked a debate amongst  many geologists and environmental advocates over what to call the period we live in.  One concept or  rather the recent buzzword that comes to mind with answering the aforementioned question is the word "Anthropocene", the proposed epoch that begins with human activity .As such one will seek to provide key propositions of the Anthropocene suggested by Gisli et al 2015, Stellen et al 2011 and Waters et al 2016. One will also give a personal observation on what it is like listening to birds in the Anthropocene. 

For the purpose of this blog it is necessary to firstly define what the term Anthropocene entails,before discussing its key propositions by the prescribed authors. 
 According to [Steffen et al 2011 ], the term Anthropocene  may seem a neologism in scientific terminology . However, the idea of an epoch of the natural history of the earth , driven by humankind.Meaning it's earths most recent geological time period as being human-influenced , or anthropogenic based on overwhelming global evidence that atmospheric, geologic, hydro-logic, boiospheric and other system processes are now altered by humans. 

Key propositions of the Anthropocene by authors 

Gislis et al 2013

Proposes that the notion of the Anthropocene highlights the exceptional role of humans in the refashioning of life on earth, could be as an anthropocentric construct , they add that the Anthropocene is not a result of Homo sapiens acting in isolation , but is only made possible through a diverse network of technological , cultural , organic and geological diverse entries. 

Steffen et al 2011 

Probe that the key proposition of the Anthropocene we live in is preambled by the 'Great Acceleration', stating that  the onset of the 'Great Acceleration' may have been delayed by a half a century or so, interrupted by two world was  and the great depression. The embryo of the phenomenon was evident in the 1870-1914 period. The rates refers of both the population and economic growth began to rise  above their earlier levels. The industrial Revolution gathered  pace and spread to other countries. The Great Acceleration after the world war II ? Triggered and produced a core of scientists and technologies, as well as a spectrum of new technologies (most of which depended on the cheap energy provided by fossil fuels) , that could then be turned towards the civil economy. Partnerships between government and academia became more common, further driving innovation and growth.  More public goods were converted into commodities and placed into the market economy, and the growth imperative rapidly became a core societal value that drove the socio-economic  and political spheres. Environmental problems  received little attention during much of the Great Acceleration. When local environmental stresses , such as urban air pollution or the fouling of waterways, or regional environmental problems such as the acid rain episode in North Europe and Eastern North America and Japan. 

The emerging global environmental problems were largely ignored. During the Great Acceleration the atmospheric Co2 concentration grew by 58ppm, from 311 ppm in 1950 to 369 ppm in 2000, almost entirely owing to the activities of   the [ developing countries]. The implications of these emissions for the climate did not attract wide spread attention until the 1990s. 

Waters et al 2016 

suggest proposals for making the start of the Anthropocene include (i) " an early Anthropocene" associated with the advent of agriculture, animal domestication , extensive  deforestation , and gradual increases increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide ( co2) and methane (ch2) 

The driving human forces responsible for many of the anthropogenic signatures are a product of the three linked force multipliers: accelerated technological development, rapid growth of the human population, and increased transformation of land and near shore marine ecosystems for human use . The net effect has been a loss of natural biomes to  agriculture , cities, roads , and other human constructs and the replacement of wild animals and plants by domesticated species to meet growing demands for food. This increase in consumption of natural resources is closely linked to the growth of the human population.

Soundscape of the Anthropocene 

As the first decade of the 21st century comes to a close , many of the trends established during the ' Great Acceleration ' have continued. [Steffen et al2011: 13]
Every time one entered , a new space or place setting, one recorded the different sounds of the world, so as to  test the hypothesis that we live in an anthropocenic world. An epoch that begins with human activity every morning. The constant dominant (sound) in these sound clips are the sounds of heavy human activity , people are in the constant rat race and hustle and bustle of the city. In these clips one can denote the heavy machinery at construction sites, traffic, and generators that belong to most of the shops in the city center. The general underlying tone in these clips are economic success that everyone is striving to achieve, and as such these dominant sounds can be regarded as the soundscape of the Anthropocene. 

What is it like to listen to birds in the Anthropocene ? 

According to Andrew Whitehouse the Anthropocene is still a new and largely academic term but one that relates to concerns that have been more widely felt,particularly since they were so clearly articulated by Carson. First, there is the concern that everyday experience of birds and other wildlife are under threat from everyday human activities.Second, there is a belief that  local changes and local activities can have global cause effects. 
Whitehouse opines that listening to birds in the Anthropocene is not simply a process of grieving for what is lost.[Whitehouse 2015 : 53-55]   

On Friday 08 April 2016 , I woke up early in the morning for my observations on what it is like to listen to birds in the Anthropocene. At about 3 am I heard   birds singing a nostalgic tune , a melody that resonated with me so much more than before , because I realized how much I had taken those sweet innocent melodies for granted because we are engulfed in the hustle and bustle of the fast city life.  Though i could not really identify the type of bird(s) it was ,it was quiet something listening to those birds in the still hours of the morning before the wake of the Anthropocene. 

At about 05;50 am  the beautiful melodies from the birds stopped, they stopped singing as if they know the rat race is about to start again and it would be of no use continuing the beautiful choral music because no one will be listening  to them anyway.  In my observation I would say it is as if the city mutes the sounds of the birds every morning because human activity takes precedents over the wild life/ nature. The humans have only allocated the birds with the radio grave yard shift because no one is listening. 

 How are responses to what is heard influenced by the understanding that the Anthropocene brings that humans have profoundly influenced the mix of sounds that can be heard ? 

As previously mentioned listening to birds in the Anthropocene is not  simply a process of grieving for what is lost , although as van Dooren has argued , grief and loss are profound elements of modern relations with birds on the "the dull edge of extinction," Anxious semiotics  is central to listening to birds in the Anthropocene not only directly in the face of loss but in the tensions of daily experiences that might seem, on the face of it , to be positive. Fluctuations and changes in what  can be heard lead back to possible human causes, perhaps even now our own activities. The growing desires to attend to care for birds and their ecology seem to be continually outstripped by our capacity to disrupt and endanger. [Whitehouse 2015 : 55] 


Are most of the bird sounds from a large number of bird species or only a few ?


Alarmingly most of the bird sounds are from only a few type of birds,So where have the other species of birds gone ? 


Interview with My Father : Mr C Meso 

My father was born and bred in the heart of the Limpopo province in a small village called Bouchm also known as Senwabrwana . He says as a young boy living in the village there were a number of species that were easier to find in the Limpopo province , the different types of cattle, birds and more especially the different types of  snakes that existed in their village growing up. He states that due to the increasing human developments in the village more and more species have fled their habitats. He recalls there being a whole lot of snakes both venomous and none venomous snakes which fascinated them as young boys while growing up . Now the Small village in the Limpopo province has become an economic hub  for development , more man made structures are erected meaning more animal homes are broken down ! So where do these snakes go ? When humans destroy wild land to build homes , factories , shopping malls, amusement parks, garbage dumps, even to build a visitor center, store and restaurant in a park , the land is evidently changed. The animals that once lived there , from bugs that lived in the ground to the birds that ate them, all disappear . Some can move to new home areas , but there are already other animals living there. There is not enough food, water or shelter for all of them as a result many of the animals die and this is all due to the destructive human race ! 


From the aforementioned interview one can note that there are millions of insect, fish, amphibians, birds and mammals and only one kind of human, a destructive human. This interview draws attention on how drastically our ecosystem has changed , because even certain types of snakes have become extinct. 

 In conclusion 

Our soundscape provides that we live in the Anthropocene.The notion of the Anthropocene highlights the exceptional role humans have had in the refashioning of life on earth,and which could be  deemed as an anthropocentric construct , the Anthropocene is not a result of Homo sapiens acting in isolation , but is only made possible through a diverse network of technological,cultural, organic and geological diverse entries. 
The Anthropocene is evidenced by the loss of the ecosystem and biodiversity. The human impact on biodiversity forms one of the primary attributes of the Anthropocene. Humankind has entered what sometimes is coined the Earth's sixth major extinction.  Most excerpts agree that human activities have accelerated the rates of species extinction. 







Sources consulted 

Gisli, P et al . 2013. Reconceptualizing the ' Anthropos' in the Anthropocene; integrating the social science and humanities in global environmental  change research. Environmental Science & Policy 28;3-13 

Holm, P etal . 2015. Humanitries for the Environment - A manifesto for research and action. Humanities 4;977-922. 

Steffen, W et al.2011. The Anthropocene: conceptual and historical perspectives. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society 369; 842-867. 

Waters,   CN  et al.2016. The  Anthropocene is functionally and stratigraphically distinct from the Holcene. Science 351(6269) :[sp] . 

Whitehouse, A. 2015. Listening to birds in the Anthropocene ; the anxious semiotics of sound in a human - dominated world . Environmental Humanities 6: 53-71.
   

Drought in South Africa calls for concern

Drought in South Africa

Calls for Concern.

 

 

By : Bonolo Mokwele Meso 

Taps run dry due to water shortages .

In this blog one has selected three online articles that pertain to environmental issues that have been recently reported in the media, namely the current drought South Africans are grappling with. From the aforementioned one will discuss these articles in light with Grant and Lawhon (2014 : 43) and Holm, P et al . (2015 : 977). In this blog one will seek to provide solutions on how fellow South Africans and the Government could  possibly deal with the effects of the drought. Furthermore shedding light on the importance/ awareness of the pressing environmental concerns facing South Africa and Africa at large.   

       Article 1 : South Africa grapples with the worst drought in 30 years 2015 

Who and What are the driving forces ? 

" A drought may be defined as a period of below-average precipitation in a given region, resulting in prolonged shortages of water in its water supply weather atmospheric , surface or ground water." Thus having dire ramifications on the affected regions. 

The driving force behind South Africa's current devastating climate challenge is said to be caused by the El Nino weather phenomena, one of the worst in fifty years. According to the United Nations " El Nino is the name given to a weather pattern associated with a sustained period of warming in the central and eastern tropical pacific which can spark deadly and costly climate extremes in parts of the world."  

    What is happening ? 

The government has recently declared five of South Africa's nine provinces as drought disaster areas for agriculture , Kwazulu- Natal ,  Bloemfontein and Limpopo being main areas for concern.  

Despite the recent rainfalls, the ground is still too dry to plant and harvest anything. Many farmers are finding it laborious having to find food and water for their live stock. Some farmers have also been lead to sell as many of their live stock  to avoid further losses , as there is an insufficient amount of cattle fodder to last through the winter months ahead and with that said farmers bear the harsh economic misfortune. Farmers are  also expected to loose their businesses if the drought conditions worsen. Other ramifications of the drought have led South Africa to now start importing maize and other types of food, as a result of that food prices have been ever increasing. 

(South Africa grapples with the worst drought in 30 years 2015). 

In the article South Africa grapples with the worst drought in 30 years 2015 , here the BBC team are exposed to the harsh realities of the South African farmer. "In the middle of what used to be a watering hole, a black calf whose name is Kgantsho a Sotho name which means "the black one", is trapped in thick clay, too weak to pull itself out.It's only a matter of time before it dies from dehydration and hunger. Kgantsho had been missing for two days.His owner, Thuso Kalane wanted to show the [BBC team ] where he found the carcasses of six of his cows last month, only to find yet another one close to death.There was no time to waste. More manpower was needed. So the BBC team had to put their cameras and notebooks down to assist with the rescue."

Farmer Thuso Kalane Image from : South Africa grapples with the worst drought in  30 years 2015

What can be done ? 

South Africans need to first of all be conscientious about the the harsh climate change affecting their lives and day to day living, because once you are conscious about your surroundings and what's  happening around you its always easier to adapt and change with the circumstances. For instance the reasonable human being will exert extra caution when using water when brushing their teeth , fixing leaking pipes in their homes,and regarding the rule of law set out by municipal by laws in terms of the savoring of water. With regards to the farmers more fodder can be provided by the government. 

  

How?  

 South African Residents have been  advised to use water sparingly as there is no certainty on when the rains will fall and if they do whether the dam levels will increase. The Government has also made an appeal that residents water their gardens during the off peak hours , the government has also devoted itself with helping farmers by setting aside R300.000000 so that the farming industry does not completely  dry out .

(South Africa grapples with the worst drought in 30 years 2015). 

Means ?

As previously mentioned the government  will set aside R300.000000 to help the farming industry. 

People need to adhere to the rule of law set out by the government, failure to do so will result in harsh penalties/ fines. 

 (South Africa grapples with the worst drought in 30 years 2015). 

Article 2 :  Africa ; South Africa in midst of ' Epic Drought' 2015 

Who and what are the driving forces?

South Africa is experiencing its worst drought since 1982 , with more than 2.7 million households facing water shortages across the country . An abnormal heat weave  has resulted in the increase of evaporation rates, this heat weave is in turn  the effects of the El Nino weather patterns.                            ( Africa ; South Africa in midst of ' Epic Drought' 2015 ).  

Lennox Mabaso

The spokesperson for the department of local government in KwaZulu-Natal , in this article told Al Jazeera that the drought concentrated in provinces of the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal , were beginning  to seriously impact on livelihoods and drastically draining the economy. it should also be noted that as more and more people migrate into cities from the rural villages the pressures for the city to meet the water demands is ever increasing. Such factors need to be considered as other driving forces that lead to water scarcity in South Africa.   

What is happening ?

The dams are currently at an all time low. " This is an epic drought" . There is a special team which constitute of ministers and environmental expects who have been tasked with helping the country with dealing/ over coming the effects of El Nino. Mabaso says due to the severity of this drought the government is doing the best it can do , it requires a lot of resources and it is impacting everyone rich and poor.   

 "The concern now is about the next crop. It's the optimum time to plant but its still too dry and with the failure earlier in the year, farmers are under further strain," Sihlobo said.

Meanwhile, residents of a South African coastal town hard hit by dwindling rainfall said their drinking water was contaminated with sea water.

Citizens of Port Shepstone in KwaZulu-Natal province lined up with buckets for fresh water distributed by officials as the drought increased the salt content of rivers, the South Coast Herald newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Mabaso admitted that a part of the town's water had been contaminated, but said the issue had been blown out of proportion.

"It appears that sea water had encroached the dam that was close to the sea and the water has been contaminated, it affects one community in Port Shepstone and our scientists are working on it," Mabaso said.

"Earlier in the week, Minister of Water and Sanitation, Nomvula Mokonyane said in a press release that the South African government was drawing water from neighbouring Lesotho to augment the country's resources, especially in Gauteng, the economic hub of the country."

( Africa ; South Africa in midst of ' Epic Drought' 2015 ). 

  What can be done ? 

South Africa's Capital City has already started implementing water restriction programs . In order to deal with the impact of the heat weave, mandatory restrictions such as borehole drilling , water tinkering and water conservation workshops can be implemented. 

How? 

"People have always thought that South Africa is a water secure country. But people need to respect water and use it sparingly. The times have changed," Lennox Mabaso, spokesperson for the department of local government in KwaZulu-Natal, said.

( Africa ; South Africa in midst of ' Epic Drought' 2015 . 

Means ?

The government has allocated a sum of R26.oooooo to the KwaZulu-Natal province in a bid to migrate the impact of the drought and consumers are likely to see food prices elevated for some time to come.  

( Africa ; South Africa in midst of ' Epic Drought' 2015 . 

   Article 3 : Water the new Gold ( Hosken, Smillie and  Goba 2015) 

Who and What are the driving forces ? 

Due to the devastating plight of the drought,more than 650.000 people face hunger in Lesotho , this is the worst  drought in decades. Struggling from two successive crop failures, the Kingdom has been led to a state of crisis by the El Nino weather phenomenon which has significantly reduced rainfall in the Southern Hemisphere.  The situation in Lesotho has worsened especially because their water is distributed to South Africa. 

 (Hosken et al 2015) 

What is happening ?

The Lesotho Highlands water Project cannot meet the demands from its neighbor  South Africa, this is due to the drought that is ravaging  Southern Africa, the drought has hit Lesotho so hard it has dried up most of the rivers in the Berea district an other parts of the country. 

(Hosken et al 2015) 

  What can be done/ How ? 

Agathe Maupin, a senior researcher at the South African Institute of International Affairs, said in this article that "although bilateral agreements ensured that the Lesotho Highlands Water Project could not be unilaterally "turned off", South Africa should be aware of the situation it faced.

"The measures that we have seen to date to get water from Lesotho into drought stricken areas, especially the Free State and Eastern Cape, are emergency measures. They are not sustainable.She said there must be a change in South Africa's consumption of water, especially in cities such as Johannesburg.

She said there had to be great improvement in the maintenance of water-supply infrastructure. The country loses 30% of its water through leaking and broken pipes." 

 An Environmental Analysis of the Articles   

The drivers of change in the aforementioned articles relate to the "Great Acceleration"  which refers to ; " human technologies , powers and consumption in the last [seventy] years that has operated as a key driver of Global Change. These human advances  have over the years come come with an alteration of the planet's carbon and nitrogen cycles , rapidly raising species extinction rates , and the generation of atmospheric green house gases , which in turn are catalysts for adverse weather patterns and increase ocean acidification , the  consequences of which will condition life on the planet for centuries to come."  ( Holm 2015:980).  The rapid climate change has had dire effects on the weather pattern even more so on the rainfall patterns. One can argue that these changes in  rainfall patterns pertain to the "Great Acceleration". The political and social factors in the article "Water the new Gold"  have forced people to confront the 'Great Acceleration' , the political factor has challenged the  government to set a side a recovery drought budget to providing water for its citizens and in so doing it has to converse with neighboring  countries, depriving those countries of their own water. Furthermore , a country like  Lesotho  provides water to South Africa so that it can also duly  benefit in terms of food supply , and other economically related benefits.  The social factor remains simple , water is life and all living organisms need water to survive. But , as the drought conditions continue to worsen dams such as the Mohale and Katse dams in Lesotho are becoming emptier which is extremely concerning as these dams are the main supply of water to the Gauteng province.  (Hosken et al 2015) There are measures that have been put in place to help South Africans grapple with the harsh effects of the drought  as seen in the article ( Africa ; South Africa in midst of ' Epic Drought' 2015 ). It can be said that these measures relate to "The New Human Condition " ,  which refers to  how we choose to identify , respond to and cope with consequences and responsibilities of environmental concerns. Do we respond in denial, despair , alarmism or action? ( Holm 2015:983).Government has taken full responsibility for the water crisis in South Africa , the proposed measures are strategic action plans  on how to solve the  current water crisis. The proposed solutions include things like water-shedding, borehole drilling , water tinkering and  water conservation. The government may engage the corporate sector if it affects the generation of power through using water which is produced by the Company Eskom.  (Hosken et al 2015) .  These proposed measures  can be easily  accomplished  by the ordinary citizen. Just like we had 

 an electricity load shedding schedule the government should  provide residents 

with a water shedding schedule, this as a result will make for a temporary

discomfort but will  help the country on a bigger scale. Residents are urged to

 water their gardens during a specified period and also ensure broken pipes are 

fixed in  their homes as that is also one of the biggest reasons South Africa has

a water crisis. The government will also provide  farmers with money and fodder

for their live stock to assist with the harsh effects of the drought.  

(South Africa grapples with the worst drought in 30 years 2015). Other possible 
Solutions stated in the article can be implemented only if the citizens of South 
Africa work hand in hand with the government and adhere to the rule of law set  out by the government. These measures are practical if implemented properly . 

In Conclusion 

South Africans need to be conscientious about the the harsh climate change affecting their lives and day to day living, because once you 
are conscious about your surroundings and what's  happening around you its always easier to adapt and change with the circumstances. For instance the reasonable human being will exert extra caution when using water when brushing their teeth , fixing leaking pipes in their homes,and regarding the rule of law set out by municipal by laws in terms of the savoring of water. The social factor remains simple , water is life and all living organisms need water to survive. 

Word count 1800 


Sources consulted 

Goba,N, Hosken, G & Smillie , S . 2016. Water the new gold.[O] . Available: http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2016/01/25Water-the-new-gold 

Accessed 01 April 2016 

Africa: South Africa in midst of ' Epic Drought'. Available :allafrica.com/stories /201511041432.html 

Accessed 01 April 2016 

South Africa grapples with the worst grought in 30 years.2015.[O]. Available: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-34884135 

Accessed 01 April 2016 

Grant, S & Lawhon , M. 2014. Reporting on rhinos : analysis of the newspaper coverage of  rhino poaching . Southern African Journal of Environmental Education 30: 39 -52 . 

Holm , P et al . 2015 Humanities for the Environment - A manifesto for research and action. Humanities 4: 977-992.