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benefits whatsoever. They can also be poached to be eaten as their meat is considered a delicacy in some parts of Asia, however, they have very little meat on their bones and there really is nothing special about their meat. So, there is actually no need at all to kill these animals. Van Niekerk reiterates this vital point:“ People think they are getting value in them, even though there is literally no value in them.”
Building the required facilities
The Kalahari Wildlife Project needed to build facilities where students and volunteers could live while looking after the animals. This is where the industry stepped in – through donations. Multiple companies were asked to donate whatever they could for the plumbing of the facility, and everyone involved donated more than what was asked for, to bring the vision of the centre to a reality.
The challenge of the project Starting the building process has been in no way an easy task. Getting the plumbing materials and accessories to the facility was made difficult by the challenging infrastructure of the area. Dirt roads, mud after rainfall and potholes made the delivery extremely difficult. Van Niekerk recalls that most of the time, getting everything to site seemed impossible,“ but somehow we always made a plan and got it right – but it wasn’ t easy”.
Do you want to donate to the facility?
Machel van Niekerk | + 27( 0) 73 167 9119
Supplied by Machel van Niekerk
Dutton Plastics Dutton Plastics donated plumbing spares, including wastage products, toilet seats and flushing components. The Northern Cape is a water scarce region and water saving is critical. Dutton supplied their patented water saving outlet valve, reducing toilet water consumption by up to 60 %.
Charlene Joubert from Dutton – heavily involved in the project and arranging the donations – says“ Conservation and pangolins in particular, have been a passion of myself and my family for as long as I can remember. Being part of a company that supported this dream is great. This is a project very close to my heart, and watching the industry selflessly give to such a good cause has been nothing short of amazing – this is an industry with such big hearts. Let us continue to raise awareness for pangolins and for the centre.”
Standard Hidraulica( STH) STH donated PEX pipe for external water lines from the borehole to the storage tanks, America Tech Polymer Angle Valves, multilayer pipe along with cutters and reaming tools, as well as STH compression fittings.
Coenie from STH states,“ We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this project. Given the site’ s remote location deep in the Kalahari, product reliability and availability were key considerations. Our product selection emphasised durability under harsh conditions and ease of maintenance. Should any future modifications be required, compatible fittings can be sourced from nearby towns without incurring high courier costs from larger centres.”
Marley Pipe Systems Marley Pipe Systems donated soil and vent, underground and waste products to the facility.
Machel van Niekerk, manager, Kalahari Wildlife Project.
Bank details: Name: M J van Niekerk Bank: First National Bank Account number: 63035989574 Branch code: 230604 Account type: Cheque
Alternatively, you can visit www. kalahariwildlife. com / donate or www. pangolin. africa for larger donations.
The donors We asked the donors what donations they made to the centre and why they felt that this was important.
Vanessa from Marley Pipe Systems says,“ At Marley, we love collaborating to make a difference. When the centre needed highquality plumbing products to complete a new building’ s plumbing system, they turned to us. We were thrilled to supply all the underground, soil and vent, and waste products required.”
BluTide / Vortex Blutide / Vortex supplied taps and shower heads to the facility. Lauren from Blutide says,“ In support of Pangolin Africa’ s mission to safeguard the endangered pangolin, Blutide is proud to stand behind efforts to protect a species in urgent need of conservation. As a brand rooted in sustainability, our values align closely with the goal of ensuring the long-term well-being, rehabilitation and successful release of these remarkable animals back into their natural habitat. We are deeply committed to preserving
www. plumbingafrica. co. za @ plumbingonline @ plumbingonline @ PlumbingAfricaOnline February 2026 Volume 31 I Number 12