City of Cape Town vows to support green projects
by Zanele Majebe
I recently had the opportunity to speak to the Superintendent of Maitland City Parks, Mr Quinton Abrahams (pictured above), who explained about the process that needs to be followed in order for a green project to be assisted by City Parks.
The core function of the City of Cape Town’s City Parks division is creating and maintaining recreational facilities, including public parks. It recognises and values community’s contribution in their decision making process to create better community parks. City Parks supports Community Garden initiatives by providing compost and tools. This kind of support creates awareness about the importance of having and maintaining green spaces in communities.
‘’ We give support to green projects that fall in line with the core function of City Parks in public spaces. We have assisted churches in promoting environmental awareness particularly in tree planting projects.’’
One of the public spaces the City of Cape Town has assisted is the streets of Bunga and Makana in Langa.”
Langa’s Green Stalwart
Mr Ntsikelelo Gum was appalled by the state of environment in the streets of Langa, an observation that led him to initiate a clean-up campaign with the help of community members. In 2011 he converted this initiative into a Public Space Greening Project.
‘’My major concern was the environmental degradation which was taking over – every street corner had become a dumping site. Our living conditions were deteriorating every day and the environment was gradually becoming a ticking health time bomb’’.
Determination
Determined to change the state of the environment of Langa community for the better, in 2013 Mr Gum approached a former sub-council manager Mrs Mariette Griesel of the City of Cape Town, to propose his idea for a Langa Public Spaces Indigenous Plants Project and to highlight the environmental struggles the community was facing in their effort to green their surroundings. Mr Jude from the City of Cape Town supplied the project with plants and compost.
Hard work pays off
Mr Ntsikelelo Gum won the title, Best Township Gardener, a global award. Today with the help of City of Cape Town he continues with his green agenda with the aim of leaving a green legacy to the community of Langa.