Disa intermedia

{{Short description|Species of plant in the family Orchidaceae}}

{{Speciesbox

|image=

|status=VU

|status_system=IUCN3.1

|status_ref={{cite iucn |last1=Braun |first1=K. |last2=Loffler |first2=L. |year=2024 |title=Disa intermedia |volume=2024 |page=e.T221343508A221361732 |access-date=20 October 2024}}

|status2=CITES_A2

|status2_system=CITES

|status2_ref=

|genus=Disa

|species=intermedia

|authority=H.P.Linder{{cite web

| url = http://www.ipni.org/ipni/idPlantNameSearch.do?id=897618-1

| title = Plant Name Details

| access-date = 2022-10-13

| author = International Organization for Plant Information (IOPI)

| author-link = IPNI

| work = International Plant Names Index

}}

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Disa intermedia is a species of orchid (family Orchidaceae), native to Eswatini, formally Swaziland.{{cite POWO |id=897618-1 |title=Disa intermedia H.P.Linder |access-date=13 October 2022 }}{{cite web | title=Name - Disa intermedia H.P. Linder | website=Tropicos | date= | url=https://tropicos.org/name/23505285 | access-date=2022-10-13}}

Mining operations are a threat to D. intermedia which is protected and grows exclusively in the Ngwenya Mine region (the world's oldest mine). Among many environmental issues, the mining operations have led to heavy pollution of the water sources that feed the nearby city of Mbabane. Cases of corruption to get the mining license were reported, including a $28 million donation to the king Mswati III by Salgaocar Swaziland Limited Company. The deal established a 25% ownership of the mine for the king, 25% for the government, and 50% to Salgaocar. Reports also claimed that Salgaocar was using Mozambican and South African trucks to avoid paying import taxes. 2,500 jobs were announced after the Salgaocar-Swazi deals, but the positions were never created.{{Cite news|last=Bowles|first=Nellie|title=Swaziland's Ngwenya mine extracts its ore and exacts its price|url=https://mg.co.za/article/2012-08-31-00-swazilands-ngwenya-mine-extracts-its-ore-and-exacts-its-price/|work=Mail & Guardian|date=31 August 2012|access-date=2022-10-13}} Salgaocar ceased its mining activities in Ngwenya in 2014. However, in January 2018, the Mineral Management Board announced it was ready to relaunch prospecting activities at the Ngwenya mine.{{Cite news|last=Moahloli|first=Zwelakhe|title=Ngwenya Iron Ore Mine to Reopen|url=http://times.co.sz/news/116708-ngwenya-iron-ore-mine-to-reopen.html|work=Times of Swaziland|date=20 January 2018|access-date=2022-10-13}}