A garbage dump has been turned into a sustainable community food garden.
Elsies River, Cape Town (25 May 2021) – Ten lads took a dumpsite in Elsies River, Cape Town, and made a complete upgrade to become a beautiful garden for the local Salberau community.
Kyle le Roux (26) says that the idea of creating a garden came from the local’s needs.
They then went ahead to plant onions, lettuce, peppers, cauliflower, tomatoes and spinach.
“Most people in the community are unemployed, self-employed, or on short. I’ve been self-employed for some years now,” Le Roux told the Daily Voice.
He noted that they began cleaning the place from 26th April to now to get to where they are.
Helping the community
The site, being a dumping site, had become a ground for criminal activities.
Sufiyaan du Toit (31) said to the Daily Voice that the garden’s location is at 27 Grand Vue Avenue. He explains that they have made preparations, and the garden is ready for the winter rains. Du Toit, who says that his home is near the site, revealed that there were complaints from the locals of drug addicts using it as a smoking joint.
Du Toit further congratulated the team’s efforts in making and achieving the clean gardening beds. All of the team’s hands are in the project so that the community can benefit.
Locals supporting the project
Le Roux says that the community has been much appreciative of what the team has done. The locals would visit the site and carry with them refreshments or sometimes money so the team can treat themselves to meals. They claim that one worker from Schaapkraal farm provided vegetable seeds, plantings, and compost and has been vital in the site’s success.
The ten team members, also known as the Plaskinders, include Orlando Collison, Waheed Du Tuit, Terence Grever, Cheslin Plaatjies, Joshua Windvogel, Quinton Prince, Marvin Elly, Kyle le Roux, Sufiyaan du Tuit, and Jayden Graem.
Le Roux says that the team has plans to remove a heap of waste and build a fence to protect against vandalism.
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