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20 March 2025 | Story Andre Damons | Photo Andre Damons
Dr Willem Daffue
Dr Willem Daffue, veterinarian, adventurer, explorer, and conservationist, delivered the first plenary keynote address on the first day of the Southern African Mountain Conference (SAMC2025).

Africa’s mountains are being destroyed – not by global warming, but by small-scale farming caused by overpopulation on the continent.

This is according to Dr Willem Daffue, veterinarian, adventurer, explorer, and conservationist who delivered the first plenary keynote address on the first day of the Southern African Mountain Conference (SAMC2025). The conference, which follows a highly successful first conference in 2022, is currently taking place at the Champagne Sports Resort. It ends on 20 March 2025.

Comparing photos that he took 40 years ago in Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo with more recent photos, Dr Daffue painted a dire picture of the future of Africa’s mountains and the unique animals found there.

Overpopulation

Dr Daffue works for the Himalayan Wildlife Project, tracks bears in the Karakoram Mountains, documents and photographs endangered species on a global level – such as the Javan rhino and Sumatran rhino. He is also involved in the Giraffe Project of the University of the Free State (UFS).

“Global warming has not yet affected Africa’s mountains. The rainfall in these areas actually increased. So has the population. Humans are destroying the mountains. The small-scale farmers have caused the most destruction. The reason for this is overpopulation.”

“Overpopulation is forcing people to invade national parks where they start farming for survival. These people are poor, uneducated, and is dependent on aid. All the animals in these areas are critically endangered.”

In his presentation, Dr Daffue talked about the Erta Ale, an active basaltic shield volcano in the Afar region of northeastern Ethiopia, the Simien Mountains in northern Ethiopia, as well as the Bale Mountains in the highlands of Ethiopia – with unique animals exclusive to the areas, including the wild ass, baboons, beisa oryx, Soemmerring's gazelle, Walia ibex, the golden jackal, and the Simien wolf.

Endangered animals

“Almost all the animals found in Ethiopia are endangered. It is the total destruction of nature. Only 4% of all mammals are still wild animals. 96% off all mammals on earth are humans and domesticated animals, and 70% of all birds on earth are chickens.”

“So, we are going to lose it. We are already past a point where we could save some of the animals and nature; it is an emergency but if we wake up now, we might still have a few things to save,” said Dr Daffue.

The answer is to curb the population growth, to educate the people, and to lift them out of poverty. Which is extremely difficult to do.

According to Dr Daffue, a conference such as the SAMC is extremely important, as it brings together different role players, including academics, researchers, communities, and policy makers. It helps in making plans, sharing knowledge, and getting policies out to people, the decision makers.

The conference

The Southern African Mountain Conference – conceptualised by the UFS Afromontane Research Unit (ARU), the African Mountain Research Foundation (AMRF), and Global Mountain Safeguard Research (GLOMOS) as a joint initiative between Eurac Research and the UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security – is unique, as it seeks to integrate the science, policy, and practitioner sectors for sustainable interventions in Southern African mountains.

Southern African mountains comprise those situated south of the Congo Rainforest and Lake Rukwa and include the mountainous islands of the western Indian Ocean. Thus, SAMC2025 is targeting Angola, the Comoros, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (southern mountains), Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, La Réunion, South Africa, southern Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The SAMC series is implemented by The Peaks Foundation (a non-profit company). SAMC2025 is held under the patronage of UNESCO.

News Archive

Science and goodwill meet drought-stricken communities
2016-03-02

Description: Disinfecting tankered water  Tags: Disinfecting water

“Everyone should contribute to the delivery of clean water to every individual,” says UFS researcher.

The drought in South Africa has impacted the country in many ways. Apart from its economic and environmental implications, the drought also has social implications, leaving some communities without water.

Since 21 January 2016, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is working together with the Department of Microbial, Biochemical, and Food Biotechnology at the University of the Free State. Dr Mariana Erasmus, post-doctoral fellow in the department, was appointed to lead a project for disinfecting tankered water supplied by the DWS to communities without water in the Qwaqwa area - which falls under the Maluti-a-Phufung Local Municipality.

She is working on the project with Robbie Erasmus from BioSense Solutions and Martin Bambo from DWS. A total of 53 trucks, 91 tanks, and 420 500 litres of water was disinfected so far, using sodium hypochlorite. “This is standard practice around the world,” Dr Erasmus said.

The work done by the UFS and DWS, who is monitoring the water quality as well as the process of water delivery, is very important. Disinfecting the trucks used to deliver water to drought-stricken communities decreases the formation of biofilm inside the tanks. “The biofilm could contain harmful bacteria such as E-coli. It is important to note that this is mostly the result of secondary pollution, since the water quality from the source where it was taken from, proved to be good. Drinking water with this harmful bacteria that has not been properly managed, can lead to health issues in humans when consumed,” Dr Erasmus said.

The Department of Microbial, Biochemical, and Food Biotechnology, interacting with the DWS on several water-related issues, volunteered to get involved in the project. They strongly believe that everyone should contribute to the delivery of clean water to every individual.

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