The inaugural competition will culminate at ENGAGE Africa 2026, CIMA’s flagship conference in Cape Town. Shortlisted finalists in Lions’ Lair Africa, presented by CIMA in partnership with Corton Investments, will pitch live on 29 October before a panel of senior lions (judges) and an audience of more than 300 finance leaders, investors, entrepreneurs and decision-makers.

The winning venture will receive an investment offer of US$25 000 to help accelerate its growth and impact.

A bridge between entrepreneurs and finance

Across Africa, entrepreneurs are building innovative businesses that tackle some of the continent’s most pressing sustainability challenges, from renewable energy and water security to circular economy solutions and green fintech. Yet many struggle to secure capital and strategic support needed to grow. Lions’ Lair Africa was created to spotlight high-potential ventures and connect them to the investment landscape

Tariro Mutizwa, FCMA, CGMA, Vice President – Africa at The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, says:

“In Africa, sustainability is about solving practical challenges while creating economic opportunity. From energy and healthcare to agriculture, education and financial inclusion, entrepreneurs are developing innovative solutions that have the potential to create lasting impact. Lions’ Lair Africa will provide a platform for these businesses to showcase their ideas, build credibility and connect with investors, mentors and business leaders who can help accelerate their growth.”

Simon Bittlestone, FCMA, CGMA, Co-Founder and MD at Corton Investments, and Past President of CIMA and Past Chair of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants, representing AICPA and CIMA, and initiator of the Lions’ Lair project said:

“Finance professionals have a unique ability to turn innovation into economic growth. Lions’ Lair Africa creates a bridge between entrepreneurs with transformative ideas and the finance leaders, investors and advisers who can help them strengthen their businesses and scale their impact. By bringing together capital, commercial expertise and entrepreneurship in one place, the competition is a natural extension of ENGAGE Africa and I am very excited to see how we can expand it over time.”

Lions’ Lair Africa is open to ventures that can demonstrate both innovative thinking and commercial viability. Applicants need to show how their solution creates value, addresses a real challenge in the African market, and how the investment on offer would support their growth. Judges will assess entries based on business potential, measurable sustainable impact and the ability to scale across the continent.

Tariro said the platform was designed to create lasting opportunities for participants beyond the competition itself.

“Most pitch competitions end when the winner is announced. Lions’ Lair is designed to be the start of a longer journey,” she said. “While the winning venture receives investment funding, every participant gains access to experienced investors, business leaders and finance professionals who can offer mentorship, strategic advice and valuable commercial connections. Those relationships often play a critical role in helping businesses grow and scale successfully.”

Bittlestone said one of the greatest benefits of participating in the competition would be the network and opportunities that entrepreneurs will gain through the process.

“The exposure and the relationships you build at ENGAGE Africa can open doors long after the competition ends. Many of the most valuable opportunities come from conversations after the pitches, not during them, and at ENGAGE Africa participants have access to over 300 business leaders. Whether you win or not, if you approach the process with an open mind, you will leave with a stronger business than the one you arrived with.”

For its inaugural year, success will be measured not only by identifying outstanding businesses that go on to secure investment and accelerate their growth, but also by inspiring more entrepreneurs to participate in future years.

The long-term ambition is for Lions’ Lair Africa to become a leading platform connecting sustainability-focused ventures with investors, corporate partners and finance leaders, creating a recognised pipeline for Africa’s next generation of high-growth businesses.

Lions’ Lair is proudly sponsored by CPA.com, E’Lique Advisory, Opus Pharmaceuticals, and Sage. For more information about Lions’ Lair Africa, visit https://www.cvent.com/c/abstracts/937b1cbe-c319-4ba4-a42e-04b32eb9dffe

Refuse bag manufacturer Tuffy’s “tough enough to care” campaign, which began appearing on supermarket shelves nationwide in September, encourages the public to collect plastic bottle tops that would normally end up in the bin and instead donate them to non-profit organisations Operation Smile South Africa or the Sweethearts Foundation.

By selling the collected bottle tops to plastic recycler Myplas, the two non-profit organisations raise funds to deliver cleft surgeries and wheelchairs to South Africans in underserved and rural communities who do not have access to specialist medical care.

Driving demand for this recycled bottle top material, Tuffy now purchases over 20 tonnes of raw material a month to add to the mix in manufacturing its 100% recycled black refuse bags.

Tuffy’s efforts were recently recognised by the South African Plastics Recycling Organisation, which awarded the brand gold in the post-consumer resin demand champion category at the 2026 SAPRO Awards.

The new campaign aims to bolster support for children and adults nationwide who are given life-changing support by Operation Smile South Africa and the Sweethearts Foundation – beneficiaries like three-year-old Rorisang Tolomane of Potchefstroom, who is all smiles after undergoing life-changing corrective surgery for a bilateral cleft lip and palate.

After Rorisang was born, a doctor referred his mother, Lebone, to Operation Smile at her local Potchefstroom Hospital. He had his first lip surgery in May last year, followed by a second surgery to fix his cleft palate earlier this year.

“I was over the moon,” said Lebone, adding that it marked the end of a long and difficult road and the beginning of a brighter future for her son. “Rorisang is developing very well, and he is now attending preschool with other children.”

Tuffy’s business unit lead, Rory Murray, said the brand’s campaign closes the loop on plastic bottle tops by giving them a second life in Tuffy’s products, while also improving the quality of life for many people.

“We’re excited to join forces with our partners that make this campaign possible and, in the process, helping two such deserving organisations. It proves that recycling works and can do good for the world around us in more ways than one!”

Operation Smile South Africa executive director Sarah Scarth said each bottle top collected was a powerful reminder that small actions could create extraordinary change.

“Each one represents a person choosing to make a difference in the life of a child they may never meet. For us, it reflects the generosity, compassion and collective spirit of South Africans working together.”

She said the campaign was an excellent way for schools, businesses, community groups and individuals to support a meaningful cause while promoting recycling and environmental awareness.

Sweethearts Foundation CEO Ashley Nel echoed her sentiments saying meaningful change did not always require large financial contributions.

“Sometimes, it simply starts with choosing not to throw something away. That bottle top could become part of a child’s first opportunity to attend school independently, an adult’s chance to return to work, or to move through life with dignity again.”

Nel said partnerships like this “show the incredible impact that can be unlocked when organisations, businesses and communities work together toward a shared purpose. Environmental action and social impact should not exist separately. When combined, they create sustainable change that benefits both people and planet.”

Murray added that the product range had been tested since November last year and that it retained the same quality and integrity consumers had come to expect from the brand.

“Look out for our branded ‘Tough enough to care’ packs when doing your shopping, collect your bottle tops and help us deliver more smiles and mobility.”

For your nearest drop-off point visit:

• The Sweethearts Foundation – National Bottle Top Drop-off Points
• Operation Smile – Cape Town Bottle Top Drop-off Points

Africa must move beyond carbon market potential towards delivery, building high-integrity, investable markets that attract long-term capital while protecting national climate priorities and ensuring greater value reaches African countries and communities.

That was the central message from the opening keynote sessions of the Carbon Markets Africa Summit (CMAS) 2026 in Kigali, Rwanda, where policymakers, investors, project developers, development finance institutions and international climate organisations gathered to accelerate Africa’s participation in global carbon markets.

Representatives from 45 countries, including 21 African nations, are participating in the summit, where discussions have shifted decisively from market readiness to implementation, investment and transactions.

Officially opening the summit, Hon. Dr Bernadette Arakwiye, Rwanda’s Minister of Environment, said Africa’s carbon markets must be shaped by African priorities and deliver tangible benefits for the continent.

“The question before us is therefore no longer simply whether Africa is ready. It is whether we can deliver at scale, with integrity and with innovation.”

Minister Arakwiye said progress is already evident as African countries establish carbon market frameworks, grant authorisations, sign bilateral agreements and develop projects. However, she cautioned that carbon finance remains concentrated in a relatively narrow range of project types. She called for diversification into renewable energy, electric mobility, sustainable waste management, industrial decarbonisation, agriculture and landscape-scale nature-based solutions.

Minister Arakwiye identified three priorities for scaling Africa’s carbon markets: accessible methodologies suited to African contexts; project preparation and readiness finance; and long-term demand at fair value.

“Trust is the currency of this market,” she said. “To our buyers and investors, I say: look closely at these efforts. Reward them with long-term demand, fair prices and patient capital.”

From potential to execution

The call for delivery was echoed by Hon. Hamad Yusuf Masauni, Tanzania’s Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office responsible for Union Affairs and Environment, who said the continent now has an opportunity to reposition itself in global carbon markets.

“For too long, Africa has been spoken about as a continent of potential. At the Carbon Markets Africa Summit, we declare that the era of potential is giving way to the era of execution.”

Minister Masauni stressed the importance of moving high-quality, bankable projects through to issuance and offtake rather than focusing solely on the size of project pipelines.

“Credibility is built one verified tonne, one closed deal and one community that sees real benefit at a time.”

The importance of ensuring value reaches communities was also central to remarks from Maxwell Gomera, UNDP Resident Representative in South Africa and Director of the Africa Sustainable Finance Hub.

Gomera called for market infrastructure capable of carrying value “from the buyer all the way to the farmer”, backed by strong community rights, enforceable benefit-sharing, early-stage finance and partnerships focused on delivery.

Africa urged to compete on integrity, not price

Speakers also stressed that Africa’s competitive advantage should be the quality and integrity of its carbon assets rather than simply offering the lowest-priced credits.

Perumal Arumugam, Manager of Markets and Non-Markets and Stakeholder Interaction at UN Climate Change (UNFCCC), said Africa should move beyond asking how it can participate in carbon markets and instead consider how carbon markets can advance African priorities.

“Africa should not compete simply by offering the cheapest tonnes. Africa should compete by offering credible and creditable tonnes, a sustainable tonne, and a tonne that the world can trust.”

He said success should ultimately be measured not only in credits issued, but in investment mobilised, mitigation unlocked, value reaching communities, stronger economies and African countries retaining control over their climate transitions.

Speaking on behalf of AUDA-NEPAD, Esterine Fotabong similarly called for African countries to scale carbon markets on their own terms, supported by predictable authorisations, functioning registries and credible monitoring, reporting and verification systems.

She also highlighted the need to build greater African capacity in validation and verification and expand access to carbon finance in sectors such as agriculture.

Global demand will reward quality

Representing the European Commission, Lukas Visek, Deputy Head of the Directorate-General for Climate Action Task Force for Carbon Pricing and Carbon Markets, signaled future European demand for international carbon credits while stressing that quality requirements would be stringent.

“Additionality and permanence are not negotiable,” he said. “Quality, however, will be rewarded.”

The message to developers was clear: projects being developed for future international demand will need robust data, genuine additionality, strong community participation and demonstrable alignment with national and global climate goals.

Turning carbon projects into investable assets

The summit’s opening programme then moved directly from policy to capital and deal flow, with leaders from the African Development Bank (AfDB), Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and Kigali International Financial Centre (KIFC) examining the practical barriers preventing more investment from reaching African projects.

Policy certainty, early-stage project preparation, bankable pipelines, robust governance and appropriate financial risk-sharing were identified as critical to accelerating capital flows.

Dr Anthony Nyong, Director of Climate Change and Green Growth at the African Development Bank, emphasised that carbon markets should ultimately be viewed through the lens of African development.

“We don’t have carbon projects. We have development projects.”

Greg Fyfe, Chief Investment Officer at DBSA, highlighted the catalytic role development finance institutions can play by supporting project preparation, providing patient capital and absorbing risks private investors are unable to take.

The opening sessions underscored a decisive shift in the African carbon market conversation: from readiness to delivery, from fragmented projects to investable pipelines, and from selling credits to building markets capable of delivering lasting economic, social and climate value.

As CMAS 2026 continues in Kigali, attention now turns to connecting credible African projects with buyers and capital, unlocking transactions and ensuring Africa plays a leading role in shaping the next generation of global carbon markets.

For more information or registration:
https://carbonmarketsafrica.com/

A farmer working a small plot does not have much room for a bad decision. Water may be limited, labour has to be used carefully, and money spent on seed or fertiliser cannot simply be written off if a crop performs poorly. That is why better information can make such a difference. It cannot remove the uncertainty that comes with farming, particularly as weather patterns become harder to rely on, but it can help farmers make decisions with more evidence behind them.

This year’s World Food Day theme, Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow., reflects the need for innovation that reaches the people who produce food and strengthen the systems around them. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) places particular emphasis on innovation that makes agrifood systems more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable. For me, a recent SAS Data for Good project with South African micro-farmers shows what that can look like in practice.

A small plot leaves little room for guesswork

Working with dataDecisions.ai and The Dream, SAS analysed information collected from micro-farms near the Cradle of Humankind. The farmers were producing food on small plots, often with limited access to technology and reliable markets.

The information already available told us quite a lot. We had records of the crops farmers were growing, when produce went to market, and what it sold for. We could also work with the size of individual plots and compare how crops performed.

Analytics allowed us to turn that information into insights. We looked at the seasons in which different crops were planted and whether that aligned with the best growing periods for those crops. Because we knew the size of the plots and the value of the produce sold, we could also see differences in the return farmers were achieving from similar areas of land.

The analysis helped bring out patterns that were difficult to see in the raw records, giving farmers more useful information to work with when making planting and production decisions.

When the weather becomes less predictable

That becomes particularly relevant when farmers face changing weather conditions. El Niño is now firmly established and the World Meteorological Organization expects it to strengthen further, with the event likely to persist into early 2027. Its effects will not be the same everywhere. Some regions may face greater drought risk while others experience heavier rainfall, which is precisely why local information remains so important.

In our micro-farmer project, we were able to bring precipitation information into the analysis and compare it with crop performance. We did not build a long-term climate model or attempt to forecast an El Niño event. The project was limited in scope and used the data available to us.

This project showed where this approach could go next. If a farmer has several seasons of crop information and can see how particular crops performed during a drier or wetter period, that history becomes useful when similar conditions are expected again. It provides another piece of evidence when deciding what to plant and how to use scarce resources. For a micro-farmer, reducing some of that uncertainty can be valuable in itself.

Growing the crop is only part of the job

There was another part of the project that I found just as important as crop performance. The partner documented how produce was grown as it moved from planting towards market. That record created greater visibility into the production process and helped farmers participate in a more coordinated route to market.

Without that connection, a small farmer may grow produce and still have no certainty that it will sell. Something as simple as relying on a roadside stand can leave food unsold until it is no longer usable.

Better data can help connect the production decision with what happens afterwards. Farmers have a clearer idea of which crops have performed well and what those crops have fetched at market. The wider system also gains more visibility into where the produce came from and how it was grown.

That can improve the farmer’s income prospects while reducing the chance that food produced with scarce resources simply goes to waste.

Making small farmers visible

What stayed with me from the project was how much more visible the farmers became once the information around their work was brought together. Micro-farmers should not be treated simply as entries in a dataset. They are participants in local food systems, and for many households, farming can also provide an important source of income.

Large-scale commercial agriculture will continue to play an essential role in food production. Local resilience also depends on smaller producers being able to participate, particularly where they are producing food close to the communities where it will be consumed.

The lesson from the micro-farmer is fairly practical. Useful information was already being collected. Analytics helped reveal insights that were difficult to see from the raw records alone.

Innovation does not have to mean putting expensive technology on every small plot. Sometimes it starts by making better use of information that already exists and putting what we learn back into the hands of people making the decisions. As climate conditions become less predictable, that is a useful way to think about nourishing tomorrow.

Africa must move beyond carbon market potential towards delivery, building high-integrity, investable markets that attract long-term capital while protecting national climate priorities and ensuring greater value reaches African countries and communities.

That was the central message from the opening keynote sessions of the Carbon Markets Africa Summit (CMAS) 2026 in Kigali, Rwanda, where policymakers, investors, project developers, development finance institutions and international climate organisations gathered to accelerate Africa’s participation in global carbon markets.

Representatives from 45 countries, including 21 African nations, are participating in the summit, where discussions have shifted decisively from market readiness to implementation, investment and transactions.

Officially opening the summit, Hon. Dr Bernadette Arakwiye, Rwanda’s Minister of Environment, said Africa’s carbon markets must be shaped by African priorities and deliver tangible benefits for the continent.

“The question before us is therefore no longer simply whether Africa is ready. It is whether we can deliver at scale, with integrity and with innovation.”

Minister Arakwiye said progress is already evident as African countries establish carbon market frameworks, grant authorisations, sign bilateral agreements and develop projects. However, she cautioned that carbon finance remains concentrated in a relatively narrow range of project types. She called for diversification into renewable energy, electric mobility, sustainable waste management, industrial decarbonisation, agriculture and landscape-scale nature-based solutions.

Minister Arakwiye identified three priorities for scaling Africa’s carbon markets: accessible methodologies suited to African contexts; project preparation and readiness finance; and long-term demand at fair value.

“Trust is the currency of this market,” she said. “To our buyers and investors, I say: look closely at these efforts. Reward them with long-term demand, fair prices and patient capital.”

From potential to execution

The call for delivery was echoed by Hon. Hamad Yusuf Masauni, Tanzania’s Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office responsible for Union Affairs and Environment, who said the continent now has an opportunity to reposition itself in global carbon markets.

“For too long, Africa has been spoken about as a continent of potential. At the Carbon Markets Africa Summit, we declare that the era of potential is giving way to the era of execution.”

Minister Masauni stressed the importance of moving high-quality, bankable projects through to issuance and offtake rather than focusing solely on the size of project pipelines.

“Credibility is built one verified tonne, one closed deal and one community that sees real benefit at a time.”

The importance of ensuring value reaches communities was also central to remarks from Maxwell Gomera, UNDP Resident Representative in South Africa and Director of the Africa Sustainable Finance Hub.

Gomera called for market infrastructure capable of carrying value “from the buyer all the way to the farmer”, backed by strong community rights, enforceable benefit-sharing, early-stage finance and partnerships focused on delivery.

Africa urged to compete on integrity, not price

Speakers also stressed that Africa’s competitive advantage should be the quality and integrity of its carbon assets rather than simply offering the lowest-priced credits.

Perumal Arumugam, Manager of Markets and Non-Markets and Stakeholder Interaction at UN Climate Change (UNFCCC), said Africa should move beyond asking how it can participate in carbon markets and instead consider how carbon markets can advance African priorities.

“Africa should not compete simply by offering the cheapest tonnes. Africa should compete by offering credible and creditable tonnes, a sustainable tonne, and a tonne that the world can trust.”

He said success should ultimately be measured not only in credits issued, but in investment mobilised, mitigation unlocked, value reaching communities, stronger economies and African countries retaining control over their climate transitions.

Speaking on behalf of AUDA-NEPAD, Esterine Fotabong similarly called for African countries to scale carbon markets on their own terms, supported by predictable authorisations, functioning registries and credible monitoring, reporting and verification systems.

She also highlighted the need to build greater African capacity in validation and verification and expand access to carbon finance in sectors such as agriculture.

Global demand will reward quality

Representing the European Commission, Lukas Visek, Deputy Head of the Directorate-General for Climate Action Task Force for Carbon Pricing and Carbon Markets, signaled future European demand for international carbon credits while stressing that quality requirements would be stringent.

“Additionality and permanence are not negotiable,” he said. “Quality, however, will be rewarded.”

The message to developers was clear: projects being developed for future international demand will need robust data, genuine additionality, strong community participation and demonstrable alignment with national and global climate goals.

Turning carbon projects into investable assets

The summit’s opening programme then moved directly from policy to capital and deal flow, with leaders from the African Development Bank (AfDB), Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and Kigali International Financial Centre (KIFC) examining the practical barriers preventing more investment from reaching African projects.

Policy certainty, early-stage project preparation, bankable pipelines, robust governance and appropriate financial risk-sharing were identified as critical to accelerating capital flows.

Dr Anthony Nyong, Director of Climate Change and Green Growth at the African Development Bank, emphasised that carbon markets should ultimately be viewed through the lens of African development.

“We don’t have carbon projects. We have development projects.”

Greg Fyfe, Chief Investment Officer at DBSA, highlighted the catalytic role development finance institutions can play by supporting project preparation, providing patient capital and absorbing risks private investors are unable to take.

The opening sessions underscored a decisive shift in the African carbon market conversation: from readiness to delivery, from fragmented projects to investable pipelines, and from selling credits to building markets capable of delivering lasting economic, social and climate value.

As CMAS 2026 continues in Kigali, attention now turns to connecting credible African projects with buyers and capital, unlocking transactions and ensuring Africa plays a leading role in shaping the next generation of global carbon markets.

Through its continued partnership with SA Olive, Absa supports a platform that raises awareness of local olive oil businesses and brings their achievements to a wider audience. The partnership places business development alongside the celebration of excellence, helping producers strengthen their position in local and international markets.

Senior Marketing Specialist at Absa, Shaun Saal says: “The Absa Top 10 Olive Oil Awards celebrate the dedication and ambition of South African producers. Through our long-standing partnership with SA Olive, we want to help turn that recognition into lasting opportunities for their businesses. By connecting producers with retailers, distributors and buyers, we aim to help them reach newcustomers, build stronger brands and grow over the long term. We also want more international markets to discover the exceptional quality of South African Extra Virgin Olive Oils and the people behind them.”

The CEO of SA Olive, Wendy Petersen says: “Every harvest asks something different of a producer. Experience matters, but so does the willingness to observe, adapt and make careful decisions throughout the season. These winning oils reflect that balance, and the work of teams whose contribution deserves to be celebrated alongside the finished product. We thank Absa for helping us bring these achievements to a wider audience. Our hope is that these awards encourage more people to explore South African EVOOs, get to know the producers and make local olive oil part of their everyday lives.”

The 2026 Absa Top 10 celebrates a season’s work while demonstrating the depth and diversity of South African olive oil production, with each winning oil bringing its own distinctive character to the selection. As these oils find their way into shops, restaurants and home kitchens, they bring the flavours of this year’s harvest to South Africa’s tables, setting a benchmark for quality and giving the industry much to build on as it looks towards the next season.

Consumers can discover this year’s winning EVOOs in stores by looking out for the Absa Top 10 stickers on the top ten oils and the SA Olive award stickers identifying this year’s gold, silver and bronze medal winners.

Yolisa Mlungwana, Regional Segment Head at Absa Private Banking (Left) and Wendy Petersen, CEO of SA Olive (Right)

Shaun Saal, Senior Marketing Specialist at Absa (Left), and Wendy Petersen, CEO of SA Olive (Right)

CLICK HERE FOR THE HIGH-RES IMAGES

Deep in the Karkloof Valley north of Howick, a tiny butterfly with iridescent blue wings is running out of safe places to call home.

After more than 30 years of commitment to the sustainability and well-being of the region’s environmental ecosystem, Sappi, a global leader in sustainable woodfibre products, has taken its protection of this fragile habitat one step further.

As of 15 October 2026, the Karkloof Blue Butterfly Nature Reserve has been officially gazetted in the government register. The 26-hectare protected area in KwaZulu-Natal contains one of the last known breeding grounds of the endangered Karkloof Blue Butterfly (Orachrysops ariadne).

Once land is formally gazetted as a nature reserve, future development is significantly restricted, helping to secure long-term protection of biodiversity, wildlife and natural ecosystems. The declaration marks Sappi’s eighth self-established nature reserve, and its fourth in KwaZulu-Natal, a continuation of the company’s commitment to responsible land stewardship across the region.

Long-term preservation of the land and the environment is a key part of Sappi’s sustainability strategy helping to safeguard one of South Africa’s most precious resources for future generations.

The initiative is spearheaded by the Sappi Forests Environmental team with support from Dr. Adrian Armstrong from Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and is a testament to the collaborative approach between public and private sector stakeholders. 

There are a few species on earth that are particular about where they call home – one such species is the Karkloof Blue Butterfly. To complete its lifecycle, the butterfly depends on the presence of a specific host plant, the Wood’s indigo pea (Indigofera woodii), a few species of nectar plants, and has a symbiotic relationship with the Natal sugar ant (Camponotus natalensis) – a delicate combination of ecological requirements that exists in only a handful of locations.

Dr Armstrong, who has monitored these butterflies for many years, says: “It continues to strike me just how finely balanced their existence is – remove the host plants or nectar plants, disturb the Natal sugar ant colonies, and the butterfly cannot survive. There are no substitutes and no shortcuts. This rich and complex interdependence in our natural ecosystems is precisely why a protected reserve like this one and its appropriate management are so important. Although the butterfly is the flagship species for the reserve, the endangered Natal black millipede, Brown’s wingless grasshopper, and Burnup’s tail-wagger snail also occur, all of which are not found outside central KwaZulu-Natal. I commend Sappi for this important step towards the long-term survival of the butterfly and its endangered mistbelt grassland habitat, and I am thankful for Sappi’s continued commitment to managing the reserve appropriately.’’ 

Giovanni Sale, Head of Sustainability at Sappi Southern Africa,says: “The Karkloof Blue Butterfly is part of this region’s unique natural heritage, and its survival depends on continued protection of the habitat around it. The declaration of this reserve aligns closely with Sappi’s commitment to the bioeconomy and to conserving the natural ecosystems on which our operations depend.”

Sappi has for many decades embraced its role as a responsible custodian of the natural landscapes within which it operates. Sappi’s first formally declared nature reserve was Karkloof Nature Reserve, declared in August 2012. Since then, the company has steadily expanded its network of protected areas to safeguard the natural ecosystems in which diverse fauna and flora can continue to thrive.

Since 2012, Sappi has formally declared the following nature reserves:

• Karkloof Nature Reserve (August 2012) – 223 ha
• Clairmont Nature Reserve (November 2013) – 1,010 ha
• Ngodwana Valley Nature Reserve (April 2017) – 965 ha
• Angle Ridge Nature Reserve (April 2017) – 1,095 ha
• Oosterbeek Nature Reserve (April 2017) – 1,900 ha
• Mount Morgan Nature Reserve (April 2017) – 1,013 ha
• Roelton Nature Reserve (October 2020) – 114 ha

Wesley Evans, Environmental Officer for Sappi, says protecting the habitat will require ongoing monitoring and careful management: “As a business, we must continually challenge ourselves to better understand our environmental impact. This declaration is a continuation of our journey, requiring agile management by foresters and a willingness to go beyond the call of duty, as well as detailed research and strong oversight, all of which are essential to the long-term health of this reserve.”

The opportunity for corporate South Africa lies in embracing the symbiotic relationship between shareholder return and environmental stewardship, particularly within the context of the bioeconomy.

Saleconcludes: “The Karkloof Blue Butterfly Nature Reserve reflects Sappi’s commitment to conservation in action – this forms part of our commitment to protect an additional 2,000 hectares by 2030. Protecting the habitats surrounding our operations is central to how we do business, and we hope this reserve shows what is possible when industry leads with intention.”

Those everyday connections are at the heart of This Is Where We Live, WWF South Africa’s new public campaign built around the message Nature Is Our Home. At a time when pressures on water, biodiversity and the climate are increasingly being felt closer to home, the campaign encourages South Africans to see nature not as something separate from daily life, but as part of it.

“Nature is already part of home, even if we don’t always stop to think about it,” says Pedzi Gozo, Head of Strategic Communications at WWF South Africa. “Nature Is Our Home is about making those connections more visible and encouraging people to care for the natural world in the same way they care for the places they call home.”

From 15 October to 15 November, that message will pop up in a rather unexpected form at Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront, one of South Africa’s most visited destinations, welcoming more than 24 million visitors a year.

At The Pierhead, a six-metre shipping container will become a South African living room and kitchen that visitors can step inside, sit down in and explore. The sustainable build uses the comfort of home to show just how close nature already is to everyday life.

Inside, a couch, indigenous plants and natural textures sit alongside familiar household objects that offer clues to their links with nature. A digital “window” takes visitors on a tour of South Africa’s natural bounty across the country, while QR codes let visitors dig deeper. WWF representatives will be on hand to show people around and answer questions about the organisation’s work.

For the V&A Waterfront, the campaign connects with work already happening across the precinct.

“Sustainability has shaped how we operate for many years, from the way water, energy and waste are managed to biodiversity and the buildings across the precinct,” says Donald Kau, Executive Manager: PR & Comms at the V&A Waterfront. “Today, there are 30 green-rated buildings, and the Waterfront is on a path to carbon neutrality. Being set between a working harbour and the open ocean is also a daily reminder that this neighbourhood is part of a much bigger natural system, which makes Nature Is Our Home particularly relevant here.”

And while the installation may only take a few minutes to explore, Gozo hopes the idea stays with visitors after they leave.

“Everything people rely on begins with nature, but it can be easy to forget that when life gets busy,” she concludes. “If someone steps back out into the Waterfront noticing those connections a little more, that’s a good place to start. Protecting nature is ultimately about protecting the places and communities people call home.”

The Nature Is Our Home Open House runs from 15 October to 15 November at The Pierhead, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town. Visitors can take in the sights and sounds of South Africa’s landscapes, interact with digital features and find out more about how nature shapes the way we live. It is open daily from 9am to 6pm, and admission is free. Find out more at https://wwf.org.za/nature_is_our_home

Hotter conditions, prolonged drought and heavier vegetation fuel loads are raising the stakes of wildfire management. As we have seen, when low humidity and strong winds combine with a dry landscape, fires can spread rapidly, burn intensely and overwhelm efforts to contain them. The consequences extend from destroyed homes and livelihoods to damaged ecosystems and increasingly dangerous, expensive firefighting operations.

Globally, climate change and changing land use are worsening the threat of extreme fires. A United Nations Environment Programme assessment projects an increase in extreme fires of up to 30% by 2050. Dangerous combinations of heat, dryness and wind are becoming more likely in many regions, putting greater pressure on prevention and preparedness. www.unep.org

South Africa faces these pressures alongside water scarcity, invasive alien vegetation and expanding human activities near fire-prone landscapes. Drought can dry vegetation while reducing the water available to fight fires. Woody invaders add substantial fuel, and development exposes more homes, infrastructure and economic assets to potential destruction.

El Niño adds a current concern. The World Meteorological Organization’s October 2026 update reports a strengthening event, which can contribute to hotter, drier conditions in parts of Southern Africa. Regional forecasts require close attention because below-average rainfall can create conditions for a difficult fire season, while sudden changes in wind and humidity can rapidly escalate an existing blaze. wmo.int

Tiaan Pool, Head of the Forestry Department at Nelson Mandela University’s Cluster for Natural Resource Science and Management at George campus, says the scale of the challenge cannot be understood through incident counts alone.

“The number of fires does not tell us enough about the danger,” says Pool. “We also need to understand how large they become, how intensely they burn and how difficult they are to control. A changing fire environment demands a changing management response.”

More fuel, greater exposure and less room for error

Pool identifies invasive alien vegetation as a significant management concern. Woody species including acacias, pines, eucalyptus and hakea can accumulate substantial biomass, increasing the material available to burn. Research into the 2017 Knysna fires found that invasive alien vegetation contributed to increased fire severity, illustrating how the condition of a landscape can amplify a disaster. link.springer.com

Changing land use creates further complexity. Forestry plantations and dry agricultural crops present different fuel conditions, while settlements beside combustible vegetation place people and property within reach of a spreading fire. Managing these risks requires coordination across property boundaries and sectors.

For vulnerable households, small businesses and public institutions, losses can exceed their capacity to recover. Destroyed grazing, crops, timber and infrastructure also affect employment and the economies that depend on them.

The spark is only part of the story

Pool identifies human activity as the dominant source of unwanted fires. Arson, escaped planned burns, and unattended cooking or warming fires can all provide ignition. Lightning is a natural source, including during thunderstorms around the beginning of the rainy season. Whether ignition becomes disaster depends on fuel, weather, terrain and preparedness. Understanding those interactions is essential to reducing damage.

It is equally important to recognise that fire has an ecological role. Grasslands, fynbos and savannas depend on periodic fire to maintain ecological processes and thrive. The objective is to manage appropriate fire while preventing unwanted fires in the wrong conditions from threatening lives and livelihoods.

South Africa has structures — but readiness must follow

Fire Protection Associations help landowners coordinate prevention, training and shared resources. Working on Fire contributes to prevention, suppression and awareness while supporting employment and skills development.

The National Veld and Forest Fire Act provides a framework for fire management, including landowner responsibilities. Nevertheless, Pool believes shortages of resources, uneven implementation and limited understanding of these responsibilities weaken preparedness.

Forecasting and satellite technology provide information that can help managers anticipate difficult conditions. However, a seasonal warning only becomes useful when somebody understands its implications and acts.

“An early warning must lead to an early decision,” says Pool. “Managers need to understand what the forecast means for their land, their communities and their resources, then prepare before conditions become dangerous.”

Practical priorities include controlling invasive vegetation, managing hazardous fuel loads, maintaining appropriate protection measures and coordinating response plans. Sound management of wetlands and riparian areas belongs within wider landscape resilience.

Pool also identifies education as a major gap. He argues that wildfire awareness needs greater attention in schools and that relevant tertiary programmes should better equip graduates to interpret warnings and manage risk.

Research must reach the people making decisions

Fire management involves changing biological and physical conditions, alongside human behaviour. Research helps explain these interactions and gives managers a basis for adapting practices.

Pool’s recent involvement in Tanzania’s Southern Highlands demonstrates its practical value. Satellite data helped identify high-risk areas, followed by discussions with villagers about the causes of unwanted fires. The project contributed to regional fire-management bylaws, training and customised village plans. Manuals were translated into Swahili, and villagers learned to manufacture affordable firefighting hand tools.

South African research priorities include protecting settlements beside fire-prone vegetation, improving fire-danger warnings and investigating suppression methods less dependent on scarce water. Understanding how fire regimes may shift across different biomes is also important.

Studying for a changing fire environment

At NMU’s George campus, forestry and conservation programmes incorporate fire management. Pool identifies a fire-management specialisation within the Advanced Diploma in Forestry, risk management at BSc Honours level, and wildfire-related Master’s and doctoral research opportunities.

Industry relationships help identify practical challenges, with some partnerships providing financial support for applied research. Academic expertise covers both the ecological effects of veldfires and their management.

These pathways are relevant to forestry, conservation and agricultural graduates, working land managers and officials responsible for public preparedness.

“We need more people who can investigate these risks and translate evidence into better management,” says Pool. “Remaining agile means continuing to learn as conditions change. The decisions that prevent a disaster need to be made before the fire begins.”

Prospective students can explore relevant qualifications and research pathways through Nelson Mandela University’s postgraduate information page.

There is a particular moment in many school calendars when names are read out, badges are handed over and next year’s prefects, captains and committee heads are announced. For those selected, it is an exciting and well-earned acknowledgement; for those who put themselves forward and are not chosen, it can feel very different.

At an age when young people are already navigating academic expectations, friendships, sport, cultural commitments, questions about their future and the complicated business of growing up, school leadership selection can take on an importance far greater than it should. Formal positions matter, but they should never become a measure of a pupil’s potential.

“Leadership development needs to happen progressively,” says Dr Sally James, Head of School at the Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) in Makhanda. “A title can give someone a particular responsibility, but it doesn’t make her a leader. Long before that point, young people should be learning how to communicate, collaborate, make decisions, take responsibility and understand the impact they have on others.”

So, how can schools make leadership something that belongs to everyone?

1. Leadership should begin long before the badge

Children can begin developing leadership skills from their earliest school years through small but meaningful responsibilities: working in teams, solving problems, speaking in front of others, helping younger pupils, taking ownership of projects and learning when to lead – and when to follow. At DSG, where girls join from Grade 4, these skills are progressively developed through academic learning and wider school life, including sport, culture, community engagement and outdoor education. By the time formal leadership opportunities arrive in senior school, the badge should be an opportunity to practise skills already developing, not the starting point.

2. Not all leaders look the same
“Part of our role is to broaden girls’ understanding of what leadership actually looks like,” says Cindy Fumbata, DSG’s Director of Pupil Development. “It can be having the courage to speak up, but it can also be listening well. It is how you handle conflict, how you encourage somebody else, whether you take responsibility when things go wrong and what happens to a group because you were part of it. I often talk about calling out the treasure in the people around you and taking on an automatic mentorship role. Whether you have opted into a leadership role or not, by virtue of being a senior in the school, there is always at least one girl who looks up to you, admires you and watches what you do. The ripple effects of your actions reach wider and last longer than you may realise. That is why self-awareness is such an important part of leadership. As I often remind our girls, if you can’t lead yourself, it’s hard to lead others. If you’re going to lead humans, you need to lean into your humanity and know what’s happening internally.”

That broader definition matters.A pupil who notices somebody being left out, takes responsibility without being asked, brings a team together or quietly sets an example is exercising leadership too, even when nobody gives that contribution a title. For Fumbata, that also means being intentional about recognising what younger girls bring and helping them see it in themselves. “People might forget what you said or what you did, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel,” she says, quoting Maya Angelou. She also returns to the importance of self-mastery in leadership, drawing on a saying attributed to Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu that she shares with Grade 11 pupils at leadership camp: “Mastering others is a skill. Mastering yourself is true power.”

3. Not getting the badge is not a verdict on future potential

This may be one of the most important messages adults can give disappointed pupils. Not being selected as a prefect, captain or committee head does not mean a child lacks leadership ability. Young people mature at different rates. Confidence develops, interests change, and some people discover their strongest leadership abilities at university, in the workplace, within their communities or much later in adulthood. A leadership list at 16 or 17 is not a forecast of who will lead at 25, 35 or 55. That does not mean disappointment should simply be dismissed, it means it can be put into perspective.

4. Leadership is as much about contribution as recognition

Service provides one important way of shifting the focus away from status. Through community engagement, mentoring, teamwork and programmes such as outdoor education, pupils can experience leadership as responsibility towards others rather than authority over them. A recent leadership message to DSG pupils captured this distinction simply: contribution matters whether or not a girl wears a badge. Leadership can be demonstrated through influence, example, encouragement and courage – at any age and without a formal title.

5. The skills of leadership matter long after school ends

Whatever path a young person follows, they will need to work with people, navigate disagreement, make decisions, adapt when things go wrong and sometimes step forward when nobody else does. Those are leadership skills – and they have relevance whether someone ultimately manages a company, leads a community initiative, runs a household, starts a business, works within a team or becomes an expert in their field.

“Ultimately, we don’t want girls to leave school believing they need permission or a position before they can contribute,” says James. “We want them to recognise their own agency, but also understand that good leadership carries responsibility. It is about the difference you make, the people you bring with you and what remains after you have stepped away.”

Perhaps that is also a useful message during prefect season… Yes, we should celebrate the badge, be proud of the child who earns it, give formal school leadership the recognition it deserves, by all means. But for the pupil whose name is not called, it is worth remembering that this is one decision at one moment in a much longer life. Leadership is not something bestowed by a badge, and there is plenty of time to lead.