State of the Nation in the age of private substitution
12 February 2026
We are a community newspaper based in Hoedspruit, South Africa, that has its bias towards wildlife and conservation. We aim to have local, original, and relevant content that is both thought provoking and educational. We also strive to maintain a high standard of journalism.
We are in the centre of the UNESCO officially ratified, Kruger to Canyons Biosphere. Hoedspruit is generally considered to be the ‘safari capital’ of South Africa, within close proximity to the renowned and famous Kruger National Park, the Blyde River Canyon, the Timbavati, Klaserie and many other private game farms and reserves. Some of Africa’s most luxurious game lodges are also close by.
We invite you to read our publication, access previous editions, provide feedback should you wish, and hopefully we will get you to subscribe. We publish monthly, and generally release our editions on the last Friday of every month.
We hope you enjoy the read and we look forward to welcoming you to Hoedspruit, our community, and our world of wildlife and conservation.
Hoedspruit has always lived in a delicate balance with water. The rivers that sustain our farms, wildlife and livelihoods can, in a heartbeat, become forces of destruction. Over the past two weeks, that balance tipped violently.
magine a state-of-the-nation address delivered without triumph or ceremony. The President rises, not to announce renewal, but to offer thanks. He thanks the households for installing solar panels that kept the lights on when the grid could not. He thanks parents who found ways to send their children to private schools as public classrooms became more crowded and less reliable. He thanks communities that drilled wells when taps ran dry, and businesses that paved roads, fixed wells, installed streetlights, and hired private security as policing quietly retreated. Applause is restrained, even respectful. The speech sounds practical and appreciated. It also reads as a quiet admission that the state has withdrawn from the everyday work of holding society together.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued ongoing warnings related to a low-pressure system over southern Mozambique, which is expected to continue affecting north-eastern South Africa over the coming days.
There are books about Africa… and then there are books that take you there. Eden – Soul of Africa, the new work by photographer and storyteller Armand Grobler, falls squarely into the second category.
magine a state-of-the-nation address delivered without triumph or ceremony. The President rises, not to announce renewal, but to offer thanks. He thanks the households for installing solar panels that kept the lights on when the grid could not. He thanks parents who found ways to send their children to private schools as public classrooms became more crowded and less reliable. He thanks communities that drilled wells when taps ran dry, and businesses that paved roads, fixed wells, installed streetlights, and hired private security as policing quietly retreated. Applause is restrained, even respectful. The speech sounds practical and appreciated. It also reads as a quiet admission that the state has withdrawn from the everyday work of holding society together.
Elephants are steadily reducing the number of mature marula trees in the park, while regeneration has all but collapsed due to browsing from other herbivores. By allowing their numbers to remain at current levels we are choosing short-term comfort over long-term ecological integrity.
Across many rural parts of South Africa, an often overlooked but growing environmental and public health crisis is brewing, requiring urgent attention. It is a crisis shaped by everyday necessities, limited services and difficult choices, and it centres on the disposal of disposable nappies and sanitary products, known collectively as Absorbent Hygiene Products, or AHPs.
Love is not proven through grand gestures alone – it’s revealed in consistency, curiosity, and care. Ride wisely, dear readers. March never forgets what February exposed.
This month has Valentines Day – but it has always fascinated me as to where did it originate and why?
Valentine’s Day is now synonymous with roses, chocolates and candlelit dinners. But it has roots far less polished – and far more intriguing.
magine a state-of-the-nation address delivered without triumph or ceremony. The President rises, not to announce renewal, but to offer thanks. He thanks the households for installing solar panels that kept the lights on when the grid could not. He thanks parents who found ways to send their children to private schools as public classrooms became more crowded and less reliable. He thanks communities that drilled wells when taps ran dry, and businesses that paved roads, fixed wells, installed streetlights, and hired private security as policing quietly retreated. Applause is restrained, even respectful. The speech sounds practical and appreciated. It also reads as a quiet admission that the state has withdrawn from the everyday work of holding society together.
Elephants are steadily reducing the number of mature marula trees in the park, while regeneration has all but collapsed due to browsing from other herbivores. By allowing their numbers to remain at current levels we are choosing short-term comfort over long-term ecological integrity.
Sign up to our Newsletter for the latest stories, articles and events.
Copyright © 2023 Kruger2Canyon News. All Rights Reserved.
26°C 27°C
15°C 23°C
