Our natural heritage is key to surviving climate change - IOL

The Umhlathuzana Hindu Temple in the background after the 2022 floods. As South Africa marks Heritage Day, Dr Luyanda Mafumbu argues that protecting heritage must extend beyond traditions and history to include Indigenous Knowledge Systems and the natural environment. He explores how combining traditional knowledge with science can help eThekwini communities prepare for climate change and protect resources for future generations.

Every year on Heritage Day, South Africans celebrate the traditions, cultures, languages and histories that shape our national identity.

These are important parts of who we are. However, heritage is not only about preserving the past. It is also about protecting the knowledge, resources and environments that will sustain future generations.

As communities across eThekwini continue to experience the impacts of climate change through floods, storms, droughts, rising temperatures and increasing pressure on natural ecosystems, it is becoming clear that building resilience requires us to draw on all available sources of knowledge. One of our most valuable but often overlooked resources is Indigenous Knowledge Systems.

For generations, communities have developed a deep understanding of their local environments. Through observation and lived experience, people have learned to read seasonal changes, identify rainfall patterns, understand soil conditions, protect water sources and manage natural resources. This knowledge has been passed down through families and communities for centuries and remains relevant today.

Importantly, recognising Indigenous Knowledge does not mean rejecting science. The most effective climate responses are those that bring different forms of knowledge together. While scientific research provides vital climate projections, risk assessments and technological innovations, Indigenous Knowledge offers local context and practical insights grounded in place and experience. Together, they can strengthen climate adaptation, disaster preparedness and long-term resilience.

The Durban Climate Change Strategy recognises the value of Indigenous Knowledge in understanding climate impacts, protecting biodiversity and supporting sustainable agricultural practices suited to local conditions. This approach acknowledges that communities are not merely victims of climate change but also important partners in identifying solutions. In recent years, the Municipality has worked to strengthen collaboration with traditional leaders and communities.

Earlier this year, eThekwini hosted a Traditional Leaders Disaster Management Workshop aimed at improving preparedness for climate-related disasters such as floods, fires and severe storms. These engagements create opportunities to combine local experience with modern climate information and emergency planning. We have also seen the importance of inclusive climate governance through platforms such as the Municipal Forum for Climate Change, which brings together traditional leadership, civil society, business, organised labour and government stakeholders.

Such collaboration ensures that climate action reflects both scientific evidence and community realities. Heritage and climate action are connected in another important way. Protecting our environment is, in many respects, an act of protecting our heritage. The rivers, wetlands, forests, coastline and biodiversity of eThekwini form part of the natural legacy we have inherited. These ecosystems support livelihoods, provide essential services and contribute to the wellbeing of communities.

Yet they are increasingly vulnerable to climate change and environmental degradation. When we restore wetlands, protect rivers, conserve biodiversity and plant indigenous vegetation, we are doing more than protecting nature. We are safeguarding the natural heritage that future generations deserve to inherit.

Likewise, promoting sustainable and locally appropriate food production helps strengthen food security while preserving valuable knowledge about farming practices that have evolved over time. Heritage Day offers an opportunity to reflect not only on where we come from, but also on what we choose to pass on.

The decisions we make today about our environment, our ecosystems and our knowledge systems will influence the resilience and wellbeing of generations to come. As residents of eThekwini, each of us has a role to play.

Whether it is conserving water, reducing waste, planting indigenous trees, protecting our rivers and wetlands, supporting local food production or teaching younger generations about environmental stewardship, every action contributes to a more resilient future. Our heritage is not only found in monuments, traditions and memories.

It is also found in the landscapes we protect, the knowledge we preserve and the future we create together. By valuing both Indigenous Knowledge and scientific innovation, we can build communities that are better prepared for a changing climate while ensuring that our rich natural and cultural heritage endures for generations to come.

Dr Mafumbu is the Deputy Director, Climate Change in eThekwini Municipality. His views not necessarily reflect those of the National Media Group, or any of its related brands and platforms.

Dr Luyanda Mafumbu, Deputy Director, Climate Change in eThekwini Municipality.