Weed warriors of the koppies
MELVILLE – An insight on the three dedicated conservation workers who ensure the Melville Koppies is what it is.
The rainy season brings joyous flowers, lush green grass and new growth.
However, invasive weeds such as blackjacks, khakibos and myriads also flourish.
According to Jenny Grice, volunteer at the Melville Koppies, the weeds are multiplying on the koppies and threatening to throttle the indigenous plants. “If it wasn’t for a team of dedicated conservation workers, Clement Ndlovu, Best Ndlovu and Lucky Mdluli who work every day, five days a week and Joseph Kasonga who works one day a week, Melville Koppies wouldn’t be the indigenous gem that it is,” she said.
Managed by Friends of Melville Koppies chairperson, Wendy Carstens, who can also be seen weeding every morning on Melville Koppies East, the team struggle to keep the weeds at bay in summer. Ndlovu joked that with such focus on weeds, he said he battles to walk on any pavement without wanting to pull out weeds.
Every time you come and hike on Melville Koppies Central on a Sunday your R80 (R40 for children) not only allows you to enjoy the beauty of the koppies, but it also supports the families of the team.
The koppies need to raise R22 000 per month to pay their wages, and Grice urged residents to keep them in mind.
