The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Mr Narend Singh, will lead the Invasive Alien Species Hackathon project at the end of Via Davallia, in Brackenham, City of uMhlathuze, KwaZulu-Natal on 28 August 2026.
The initiative follows concerns raised by residents during the Deputy Minister’s community engagement in the City of uMhlathuze on 9 May 2026, where community members highlighted the severe overgrowth of invasive vegetation in the Brackenham greenbelt and the associated environmental and public-safety concerns. The Deputy Minister subsequently committed to facilitating efforts to address the overgrown vegetation and work with relevant stakeholders to restore the area.
The Hackathon seeks to raise awareness of the environmental and socio-economic impacts of invasive alien plants, undertake coordinated clearing activities, strengthen partnerships between government and communities, and promote long-term environmental stewardship.
The initiative will improve public safety, enhance biodiversity and ecosystem health, increase awareness of invasive alien species, and demonstrate government's responsiveness to community concerns and commitment to environmental restoration.
Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the event as follows:
Date: Friday, 28 August 2026
Time: 08:00
Venue: End of Via Davallia, Brackenham, City of Umhlathuze, KwaZulu-Natal
To RSVP, please contact: Merle Van Diemel
Cell:083 301 9400
Kagiso Letsebe
Cell: 083 439 9755
Email: kletsebe@dffe.gov.za
