Gift of the Givers, local volunteers reestablish Knysna honeybee population after 2017 fires

CapeTalk's Lester Kiewit speaks to Owen Williams of the Knysna Beekeepers Association.

Listen below:

On 7 June 2017, a catastrophic wildfire, the largest in South Africa’s recorded history, erupted along the Garden Route, wreaking havoc on the coastal towns of Knysna, Sedgefield, and Plettenberg Bay. The firestorm, fueled by gale-force winds, had temperatures soaring to 1,000 degrees Celsius, leaving a trail of destruction and heartbreak.

An estimated 30 million bees perished in the inferno.

Yet, amid the devastation, hope flickered. Some bee colonies, especially resilient trek swarms, managed to survive. However, the aftermath presented another deadly threat: starvation. With their natural forage scorched, the remaining bees faced a barren landscape.

In response, the local Bee Conservation team from Gift of the Givers sprang into action. Partnering with Massmart, they secured large quantities of sugar to produce emergency sugar syrup feed. They also obtained substantial supplies of pollen substitute. To help devastated beekeepers rebuild, McGladdery’s in Pietermaritzburg generously donated hundreds of hive kits.

To coordinate support and donations, the non-profit 'Hope for the Honeybees' was established.

It took two challenging years for the honeybee population to recover.

Now, eight years later, their numbers have not only rebounded, but they are thriving. The resilience and vitality of the honeybee community stand as a powerful testament to nature’s ability to heal and to the unwavering commitment of those who came to their aid.

Williams explains how the local community came together to revitalise the devastated bee population in a bee-autiful way...

"It was devastating. It was a moonscape. The firestorm was so fast that around 650 hives were destroyed. The intervention of Gift of the Givers and so many volunteers stepping in for the surviving colonies was actually astounding and mind-blowing... we didn't know what was going to happen. All bees were wiped out, and the few surviving colonies were struggling for food."

- Owen Williams, Knysna Beekeepers Association

"The intervention of Gift of the Givers is just an incredible story on its own. Doctor Sooliman got involved; he came out to us, and he saw a tiny colony of bees. The queen stayed in one spot for him to look and it was actually quite spiritual... we put heads together and within two days, there was a game plan... round about two tons of sugar arrived and we started setting up feeding stations through many volunteers just to get syrup out there for the surviving bees."

- Owen Williams, Knysna Beekeepers Association

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