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The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) recently released the outcome of the South Africa-Norway bio-safety cooperation project 'Monitoring the environmental impacts of GM maize in South Africa'. This project studied possible impacts of commercial genetically modified (GM) maize (MON810 maize), containing the Cry1Ab protein (Bt-protein), on the South African environment.1 The report addresses concerns about Bt-technology in GM maize in South Africa, in particular the development of possible resistance of target insects to the Bt-toxin and of unintended effects of GM maize on non-target organisms. Bt-protein is produced by a common soil bacterium first isolated in the Thuringia region of Germany. When eaten by an insect, the digestive system activates a toxic form of the Bt-protein killing the target insect within a few days. The ability to transform plants with the gene sequence of the Bt-protein provided the opportunity to produce the protein inside the plant, instead of a Bt-spray application commonly used by organic farmers. Production inside the plant created the first generation of Bt-crops, which were investigated by the South African-Norwegian project team. Over the last 20 years, there has been a reduction in the amount of chemical insecticides used for insect control on these Bt-crops. In addition, as outlined in a recent report by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), GMOs for African agriculture, these crops might offer benefits.2,3 However, relatively little research has been carried out in our country regarding their environmental impact even though the Bt-crops have been grown for several years.