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TUESDAY 27 October 2020 | Tel: 021 910 6500 | Email: post@peoplespost.co.za | Website: www.peoplespost.co.za
@ThePeoplesPost
People’s Post
PLUMSTEAD
Taking positive action NETTALIE VILJOEN NETTALIE.VILJOEN@MEDIA24.COM
A
s the number of homeless people occupying an open field located on the corner of Gabriel and Bardia roads in Plumstead seemingly continue to grow, a group of residents came together on Saturday 17 October to do what they can – to clean and green the area. Organised by the Gabriel Road Area Project Association (Grapa), the clean-up and planting project began at 9:00 when 40 residents, geared out in workmen’s vests, gloves and masks, reported for duty at the patch of public land next to the Shell petrol station. After five-and-a-half hours of solid work, the volunteers left the formerly rubbish-strewn grounds looking pristine and greener to boot. Elaine Rousseau, the owner of the Food Fanatics & Homestead Venue located at 23 Constantia Main Road in Plumstead, says before the national lockdown, there were only two tents pitched at the field, but since then the number has grown to 18. When People’s Post first spoke to Rousseau two months ago (“Who are the nuisances?”, 1 September), there were eight tents on the field. Back then, Rousseau explained that her clients, and those of many of her neighbouring businesses, could only access the premises through Bardia Road. She was concerned that the sights and smells coming from the field would discourage clients from using their services. Desperate to find a solution, local business owners and residents formed Grapa at the end of August. Last week, Rousseau (who is also a member of Grapa), told People’s Post that, despite lodging numerous complaints, citing bylaws broken at the field, with the City of Cape Town, they have been told the tents could not be moved. While disaster management regulations remain in place, law enforcement’s hands are tied. “So we thought, well, let’s stop moaning and try and do something positive about it. The skel (scolding) is not going to work. We can’t move them, but we can make the area look more presentable,” she says. What followed next was an inspiring example of what can be achieved when civil
About 40 residents assisted in the clean-up and greening of open public areas in Plumstead on Saturday 17 October. services, community members and local businesses work together. Thanks to the support of Grapa’s civic association representative for ward 62, councillor Liz Brunette, it was arranged with the City’s cleansing services for a rubbish removal truck to be on hand and for law enforcement to keep an eye on the volunteers from a distance on the day of the clean-up. Donations included 30 Kei Apple trees and compost from The City’s Newlands Nursery, money from the local Shell garage and Pick n Pay, the use of a 1 000F water tank supplied by Ferndale Nursery, refuse bags from High Tea, water from the Homestead’s well-point and beverages for volunteers from Osmond’s Café. Cash donations were also received from community members. Donated funds were used to purchase additional plants and compost. Split into two teams – the pickers and the diggers – the volunteers quickly went about their business of cleaning and greening the area.
Rousseau explains that the pickers tackled three areas: the field next to the Shell garage, the patch of open ground between Buckingham and Gabriel roads, and the area at the big traffic circle just around the corner of Gabriel and Constantia Main roads. “We could only clean and rake around the tents. For the most part, we were positively received by the people who live there. Occupants of two of the tents offered to help,” Rosseau adds. About 80 to 90 bags of refuse were collected. Debris that could not fit into the bags – such as pieces of foam, broken wooden frames and wire – were placed in a pile for cleansing services to remove. Rousseau says the most predominant rubbish items found were tik bags, lighters, batteries, broken beer and brandy bottles, and a variety of old clothing items. Volunteers also picked up enough human faeces to fill a wheelie bin. On the diggers’ side, a running wall of trees were planted right against the block of
flats, Courtleigh Mansions, which borders the field on the one side with another three trees planted next to the Shell garage’s wall. Three trees were also planted on the corner of Thornwick and Gabriel roads. To ensure that the trees will thrive, volunteers adopted individual trees, agreeing to water them twice a week with water from the Homestead’s well-point. Shell garage signed up to water the trees planted next to its wall. While Rousseau is happy to report that all of the trees and plants are all still flourishing a week later, she says they do realise that it will only be a matter of time before the field is covered with rubbish again. “But if we throw enough positivity at the problem maybe it will eventually move them,” she says. In the meantime, Grapa is already planning the next community clean-up. Rousseau says those residents who would like to join in should keep an eye on Grapa’s Facebook page for details.
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