Alien invasive plants such as black wattle, bugweed, some cannas, wild ginger, lantana, loquat trees and jacarandas, to name but a few, pose the most serious threat to bio-diversity in South Africa, after climate change. An appeal is therefore made to the public not to plant these plants on their properties and to eradicate them where they occur.

The loss in biodiversity means millions of people face a future where food supplies are more vulnerable to pests and disease, poor growing conditions and probable water shortages. 
 
It is estimated that nationwide invading plants use 3,3 billion cubic metres of water per year beyond what native plants would require.  Total annual runoff from mountain catchment areas and high yield riparian zones could eventually be reduced by at least 16% if alien plants are allowed to continue to spread.
 
Habitat destruction leads to the extinction of all animals depending on a specific eco-system. 
 
Approximately 20 million hectares (17%) at different densities of our agricultural land have been invaded, resulting in loss of arable land.  If this land is condensed into a 100% density stand it will cover 1,9 million ha, bigger than the Kruger National Park, excluding the private conservation areas. 
 
Normal grassland fires generate heat of between 200 to 5000 kW/m2. Invasives can generate heat of up to 50 000 kW/m2, which results in physical damage to the soil.  This in turn reduces the viability of indigenous seeds in the soil and causes physical damage to plants or roots.  The damage done to the soil by these fires contributes to flooding, soil erosion, siltation of dams and rivers.