Make It Make Sense - Hartebeespoort Dam And The On-Going Battle Of The Hyacinths

The Hartebeespoort Dam is one of SA’s most beloved recreational and leisure spaces. The dam in recent years has struggled significantly with the infestation of the Hyacinth plant, which rapidly grows and covers its water surface, and affecting the dam’s natural eco-system and local tourism. The megamelus bugs are the insect army that has been deployed onto the dam by the Centre for Biological Control (CBC) at Rhodes University to tackle the dam’s decades-long infestation, which has shown much success. Last year around October, the bugs managed to bring down the Hyacinth coverage to just 5% of the dam. However, as 2025 kicked off, 40% of the dam is covered again. Dr Kelby English from the CBC at Rhodes university, helps us make sense of the situation affecting the much loved dam.