Blog

The Pain

Wilderness has always been in me and me in it We are one, this connected Earth and I My fear and anxiety of leaving Africa for the cold and barren sterility of Antarctica was real I often say ‘real is rare’ but this ‘real’ was eating at my Soul Was I being foolish or brave? I am still unsure

I have been home a short while and still I feel the pain When I was on that frozen harsh relentless wilderness I hurt a great deal My days and nights, all alight by the sun, were

“Always take sides, neutrality favours the oppressor but never the oppressed”.

I once read “Always take sides, neutrality favours the oppressor but never the oppressed”. Mostly, this is true. But when we take a side it is vital that we have done our homework well. When a ‘side’ is taken based on only emotion, it needs to be argued, countered and challenged…after which an informed decision is made and acted upon.

I have long stood for the plight of the planet…this sacred place we call Earth. I have championed ’causes’ and fought strongly to defend them…in spite of people trying to pull me down in their vain efforts to

Team SA finish the Scott-Amundsen Centenary Race to the South Pole!

Photo credit: Henri van Schalkwyk, Urban Brew Studios

Sent by Urban Brew Studios on 28 January 2012

Braam Malherbe and Peter van Kets from Team SA finish the Scott-Amundsen Centenary Race to the South Pole in joint third position with Team British Green/Centrepoint

After twenty five days in extreme weather conditions and 742 kilometers of what is described as the toughest race on the planet, Braam Malherbe and Peter van Kets has arrived at the South Pole. Team SA and Team British Green/Centrepoint arrived at the South Pole on Saturday 28 January 2012 at 06:00 (SA time). They

MEDIA RELEASE FROM WOOLWORTHS 2012 Scott-Amundsen Centenary Race to the South Pole Braam Malherbe Progress Update

Monday 23 January 2012 The Scott-Amundsen Centenary Race to the South Pole has been won, but team SA, who are expected to reach the South Pole in the next 6 days, made the brave decision to help a fellow contestant who is suffering from a fractured arm. Braam Malherbe and Peter van Kets offered to help Andrew Carrie from team British Green with his load. The duo have added an additional 9 kg to their 70 kg load of equipment that they are required to pull to the finish line.

Speaking from the South Pole Braam said

Antarctica Update by Urban Brew

Press Release 16 January 2012 Team SA, Braam Malherbe and Peter van Kets arrived at the halfway checkpoint at 17:37 (GMT) on Sunday 15 January 2012. They are currently lying in 4th position. Team British Blue was evacuated last week because of a medical emergency and since then Team Tri-National, James Raaff, Frank Runge and Gavin Moran as well as Yoyo Menten-Schepers and Matt Elliot of the Anglo-Dutch Team have also fallen out of the race. Both teams had to be picked up in Arctic Trucks and taken to Checkpoint 1, they will continue the remaining 360 kilometres

Read More About Antarctica Update by Urban Brew

Update from Antarctica ( sent by Urban Brew Studios)

10 January 2012 Sent by Urban Brew Studios

An Update from Antarctica Drama during the first week Scott-Amundsen Centenary Race to the South Pole

“I would rather be a live donkey than a dead lion.” These famous words of Ernest Shackleton when he turned back short from discovering the South Pole, aptly describes a drama of 36 hours in the historic Scott – Amundsen Centenary South Pole challenge. It started when the expedition doctor was called out for a situation which turned out not to be serious at all and it ended with the emergency evacuation of competitor

Thank You!

Thank you so much for all the special messages! One in particular…(no name): “you don’t realise how many lives you effect, change, inspire. Thank you.” And I THANK YOU…all my friends who have vision and a purpose driven life…thank YOU for believing in me (because you believe in yourself).

We now fly to Novo (Russian base in Antarctica) on Tue nite 11h30 because 160km/p/hr winds wrecked the tents…nerves are up but as I always say…’when the impala goes to a new waterhole, it doesn’t know what lurks there…it must be scared and cautious.’ I go to face a

MY TALK AT THE COP17 FAITH RALLY – DURBAN, 27/11/11

CARING FOR THE EARTH

Before I ran the entire length of the Great Wall of China, a distance of 4, 218kms, I was told by doctors and sports scientists that it was physically impossible. Well, as a relatively ordinary guy, I proved them wrong. I put this down to a simple belief I have: that if you have big dreams and plan well, then NOTHING is impossible! In my opinion, COP17 is the most important meeting of nations on Earth ever. And it is now, more than ever, that we need to have faith! What does it mean

Multi-Faith Rally for Climate Justice, 27 November 2011

The day of the Multi-Faith Rally for Climate Justice is nearing!

As you are surely well aware, the rally will be taking place at Kings Park Stadium on Sunday 27 November. Gates will open at 10am. Community based entertainment begins at 11h00. Official entertainment starts at 12h30 and ceremonial procedures begin at 14h00. Tickets are free. The purpose of the rally is to ask delegates negotiating at the upcoming climate change conference (COP17) taking place in Durban from 27 November to 9 December, to do so with courage and fairness.

The biggest climate change roadshow on earth and

Build up to COP17

‎”We are at a tipping point in the world. The battle is whether our children inherit a barren world that faces an ecological disaster – a “perfect storm” where the crisis of fuel, food, unemployment, population growth, economic and climate-change intersect. The solution cannot be a mindless strategy of increased consumption – we must learn to live within the responsible limits of what our planet can sustain. After all, we have no Planet B. Albert Einstein said: “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” The single most important

THE RHINO DILEMMA

The rhino dilemma is a human induced problem and demands that we seek an immediate solution. The dilemma unfortunately extends beyond the horror and brutality of the poaching, it goes deep into our hearts and psyches. We wrestle amongst ourselves, arguing about the ‘right’ way to save these iconic animals. The many different view points, many valid, many well-intentioned and many simply un-informed, have not been always been devoid of ego. But while we argue and debate amongst ourselves, the animals still die daily. “What are you waiting for?” if they could voice their hearts, they perhaps would

THE WAY FORWARD

Most friends will have read all of my POSITIVE SOLUTIONS TO RHINO POACHING. If not, read them all before making a decision or forming your view point (you can see them on my website www.braammalherbe.com )

Herewith what I am doing:

There is much interest in the rhino war…over 270 ‘concerned and interested’ groups are on FB alone. Of these, a conservative 30% are scams! I will show this on SA Tv’s 50/50 nature program shortly. Whilst most of us have good intention there are many that simply exploit human emotion to rake in a fast buck.

Chapter 5 of 5:POSITIVE SOLUTIONS TO RHINO POACHING

Chapter 5: “THINK SOLUTIONS…THERE ARE MORE THAN ONE”

CRISIS in Mandarin is broken into two beautiful symbols…the CRI means ‘danger’ or ‘fear’ whilst the SIS means ‘opportunity’. Let us all, with our many many opinions and views, consolidate without egos or tunnelled vision, and collectively unite toward a common goal…saving the rhino from extinction…

So…I reiterate, there is no ‘silver bullet’ solution. Below is a brief summary of the previous chapters…

1) In Taking The Fight To The Poachers I write about the areas that cannot realistically poison (or treat) the horn. Logistically, an area as big as

POSITIVE SOLUTIONS TO RHINO POACHING: Chapter 4 (Part 2) LEGALISING THE TRADE IN RHINO HORN

(Please be sure to read all of the chapters….this will provide a broader understanding)

If you have read my last post from Michael Eustice in Business Day you will have some idea on this chapter already.

Since CITES banned the trade in rhino horn in 1976 over 65, 000 rhino have been butchered. No ban has ever succeeded. They usually fuel the fuel the coffers of the criminals.

Over 400 private rhino owners exist in South Africa. Collectively they hold approximately 30% of our rhino but became non –viable for them to farm rhino. Let me first contextualise

Chapter 4 of 5: LEGALISING THE TRADE IN RHINO HORN Part 1 (of 2)

So far I have written brief chapters touching on a number of issues, such as “INCREASING COUNTER POACHING OPERATIONS”…”EDUCATING THE ASIAN PEOPLE”…”POISONING THE HORN”…All which have merit and are indeed part of the solution, but, as said before, there is no ‘silver bullet’ answer. Having said this, we need to urgently look at ALL the options available and WORK TOGETHER to ensure a positive outcome for our rhino…(and indeed, through reaching a solution together, we create a TEMPLATE for the sustainable survival of many species…and perhaps, us included!) Part 1: of LEGALISING THE TRADING RHINO HORN (Part 2

CHAPTER 3: POISONING THE HORN (Part 2)

As said previously, it is important to read ALL of my Chapters…(this is Chapter 3 part 2) before reaching a view point. I say in the strongest terms, if we can UNITE against a common enemy, we win the battle. I will show you how we can make this happen. After all the Chapters I will post a ‘game plan’ that is strategic and will work with your buy in.

RHINO RESCUE PROJECT: INFORMATION “All that is needed for the forces of evil to triumph, is for enough good men to do nothing” – Edmund Burke With the

Chapter 3 of 5: POISONING THE HORN ( Part 1)

POSITIVE SOLUTIONS TO RHINO POACHING…. Chapter 3: POISONING THE HORN

As said in my earlier chapters, there is no ‘Silver Bullet’ solution…but there are real and practical solutions. I want to reiterate…READ ALL OF MY CHAPTERS…think beyond what is obviously an emotional issue, because emotion fuels a purpose but has no guarantee of success UNLESS WELL IMPLEMENTED. There are way too many Chiefs out there (with no doubt good intentions). i will be posting, at the end of my chapters on POSITIVE SOLUTION TO RHINO POACHING … a list of simple and effective ways to stop the slaughter.

Chapter 2 of 5: Educating the Asian People

A WARNING: Please be extremely careful if you want to donate money to a “help rhino” cause. I am sure you would want to be sure your money is going to be used in a way that DIRECTLY benefits rhino conservation. There are OVER 270 “help rhino” entities out there…many ARE SCAMS…I know this and will show this on TV shortly! PLEASE PUT MONEY TO A CAUSE THAT IS A) CREDIBLE and B) CAN SHOW A TRACK RECORD. I will shortly be posting a list of bona fide organizations where you will be able to see the results

Chapter 1 of 5: INCREASED COUNTER POACHING OPERATIONS

The first of 5 chapters on POSITIVE SOLUTIONS TO RHINO POACHING…please see all chapters over the next 5 days. Be informed, then act)…I will conclude in a weeks time on “THE BIGGER PICTURE”. Chapter 1: INCREASED COUNTER POACHING OPERATIONS In areas such as the Kruger National Park (KNP) and other important tourist destination reserves one cannot entertain dehorning or poisoning the horn. The iconic rhino is there in all its glory to be observed, photographed and adored. No tourist is there to see the Big 4 and 1/2…they want to see the Big 5. So what can be

Solutions to Rhino Poaching

Just home now…as promised, my informed, experienced and educated views on rhino poaching AND SOLUTIONS.

I will be writing a chapter each day for the next 5 days…please read each chapter and think not that the specific chapter I am writing about is a ‘silver bullet’ solution…there are various issues that need to be dealt with. Remember though, throughout what I write, that my primary purpose is to prevent this iconic animal from becoming extinct…the rhino is a symbolic example of what we are doing to many many species. I will be writing on five issues:

1) Increased

Read More About Solutions to Rhino Poaching

The Horror of Man’s Greed…

I was woken this morning to terrible news…3 rhino had been darted last night at Aquila game farm 2 hrs north of Cape Town. I went out there to what I can only describe as horror. The younger of the 3 has survived. When I left for Aquila they were still looking for the 3rd animal. When I arrived they had found it…dead and mutilated. The other rhino has had its front horn hacked off and the second one half sawn…the poachers had obviously been disturbed…the animal has been treated but still cannot stand up. He tried when

Read More About The Horror of Man’s Greed…

Operation Smile International Conference 2011 – Beijing

I returned to Beijing, China for the first time since completing a world first of running the entire length of the Great Wall from Jiayuguan in the Gobi Desert to Shanhaiguan at the Bo Hai (sea) in 2006. My running partner, David, and I covered a distance of 4, 218 kms in 98 days of running. This journey was life-changing. I did it for two reasons: to show people, mainly children, that if you have big dreams then nothing is impossible. Also, to raise money for the first Operation Smile mission in South Africa (enough money was raised

Recycling

Filming the latest Get Connected with Braam episode was really quite disturbing for me. It’s about Re-cycling and I needed to do a bit of research which saw the crew and I at one of the municipal dump sites, Vissershok, just off the N7. We drove to the highest point of the dump, over 60m above the level ground below. I was literally standing on a mountain of garbage! Statistics from the City of Cape Town’s audit of the site are staggering! Between 2 and 2 and a half THOUSAND tons of human waste is dumped

Survival is the focus in the long run

Article from “The Big Issue” magazine, written by Bronwen Dyke. Click here for original article

Braam Malherbe is not comfortable being a passive spectator. He’s a doer. Whether it’s running along the Great Wall of China or from Namibia to Mozambique to raise funds for children’s cleft palate operations, teaching vulnerable youth about the laws of nature or filming for television’s conservation programme 50/50, he’s always got something on the go. And that’s how Malherbe likes it.

He’s a man on a mission, a self-styled eco-warrior who believes his purpose in life is to help people – children

Read More About Survival is the focus in the long run

Slideshow

Blog