Project Witsands, Atlantis

Greening Interventions, Soil Stabilisation and Planting Project for the iEEECO™ Witsands Atlantis RDP Housing Project

The severe windy conditions on the Cape Flats will continue to be a problem in future developments so this project will be driven to set a precedent to push for a reform to change the framework of RDP and Gap housing policies. It is our opinion that the initial infrastructure funding should address the land from an environmental point of view and that each site should be individually assessed for its sustainability.

Each Assessment should include a long term soil stabilisation strategy and a solution to eradicate the problematic exposed foundations that have occurred around the homes during and after construction. This will also assist in flood control due to the lack of storm water capacity on the site.

Greening & environmental aspects of dwellings have typically been neglected in the race to deliver houses, to the detriment of health, safety and prospective improvement to lifestyle and financial outlook for beneficiaries.

Additional interventions at Witsands will include;

• the greening of the Community Park,
• Veggie-tunnels for Food Security, and
• addressing job creation through cooperative mechanisms.

An important part of these interventions is the introduction of “the Smart Living" principles and programmes which are being rolled out in a participative way where the community can learn valuable lessons pertaining to energy, water and waste management.

Programme

Witsands is a well organised and committed community and our common aim is for knowledge transfer, sustainable empowerment and job creation.  The tender was won buy the WEBSO team who have 10 years committed service to the Witsands project.

Green Communities is proud to be playing a role as the mentor and an associate partner to assist this team to replicate our past greening interventions at other RDP development sites namely Statice Heights and Mitchells Village. However this intervention will be based more around a soil stabilisation strategy than a beautification initiative.

The project needs to be completed in 120 days which would mean a minimum of 5 units per day. (111 semi-detached homes and 178 freestanding homes)

1. Public Participation Process and establishment of a Greening Task Team and Smart Living Task Team
The Witsands Housing Development was divided into eight (8) zones with each zone providing a representative for each intervention. We have established a greening team, smart living team, and an urban agriculture team. These individuals will be responsible for monitoring the tasks associated with each intervention as well as engage in feedback and information sessions with the community.

2. Propagation Workshop
Green Communities hosted a propagation workshop attended by the Greening representatives and volunteers. The plants from which will be used in the Home Garden roll-out.

3. Greening 71 homes in 6 hours!!
On the 2nd of October we rolled out the largest greening intervention to date - with the help of 25 volunteers from the Raymond Ackerman Academy, our enthusiastic Witsands community plus the Green Communities team. It was delivered like a finely tuned military intervention. From 9 till 3 the teams managed to plant a tree, lawn, shrubs and ground covers at 71 new RDP homes.

4. Urban Agriculture
Over and above this, we have erected three (3) food tunnels at a green open space near the park. This project is one that addresses the food security needs of the whole of the community, as well as income generating for sustainable livelihood initiatives.

5. Skills development and training
Green Communities hosted a Smart Living Workshop for the Smart Living zone reps. This workshop included the components of Smart Living and how it could best be applied to the Witsands environment and for the Witsands community. The workshops focused on facilitation techniques and methods as each household was visited by a zone representative to outline the aspects of Smart Living for the home. A follow-up Smart Living course will be held in October and this course will focus on Smart Living Principles for a community as a whole. Smart Eating courses are geared towards the children as an additional training component.

6. Waste Management and Recycling
Green Communities will be assisting Webso and the Witsands Community in establishing a Waste Management and Recycling programme and a Swop Shop to encourage the children to give waste their full attention in making a difference in their environment. This initiative will coincide with the Smart Living for Communities workshop to be held in October and November.

Project Status:

The community meeting held on the 11 March 2010 was hugely successful with volunteers signing up in droves.

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