Dumpsite transforms into park at organisation’s community awareness day

Residents of Gem Valley Ext 3 in Mamelodi came together on Saturday to plant 20 trees in a desolate landscape and also received trees to plant at their own homes at The Backyard Farmers’ Champion Ecosystem Restoration and Community Education community awareness day.

The trees were donated by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development and the South African National Biodiversity Institute (Sanbi).

Thabang Shongwe of Backyard Farmers said community members and stakeholders came together to rehabilitate a degraded parcel of land that is slowly turning from an illegal dumping site into a smart park.

The residents planted 10 shade trees and 10 fruit trees.

Shongwe said the aim of raising awareness was to restore ecosystems, mitigate climate change and educate the public about the importance of a clean physical environment.

“This initiative, aimed at fostering environmental consciousness, received overwhelming support from the local community and several key partners,” said Shongwe.

The identified land was at Ingoyingoyisi Street in Gem Valley Ext 3, opposite Mobsie Preschool.

“The Department of Agriculture also donated fruit trees to 65 families to plant at their homes,” said Shongwe.

The stakeholders who made the day a success included Rand Water, Water Wise, Word Based Missional Church, Shoprite, and the Tshwane metro.

Shongwe said the collaborative effort underscored the belief that, “united, we can cultivate environmentally conscious and food-secure generations”.

“This project not only enhances the quality of the physical environment but also promotes social cohesion, active citizenry,= and unity, paving the way for sustainable communities that thrive on clean air and collective effort.”

Backyard Farmers (BYF) was formed in 2020 by three friends to tackle food insecurity, environmental degradation and to promote tourism.

“Our organisation was formed initially with the idea of tackling food insecurity in our communities through initiatives such as backyard gardening as well as skills and seed sharing,” Shongwe said.

The initiative encourages community members to have their own backyard gardens. It also lets people share and exchange seeds and skills via a WhatsApp group.

BYF also has its own backyard, where it has been planting seeds.

“Unfortunately, due to hardship in terms of water, we don’t produce as much as we would like to,” he said.

Shongwe added that the organisation has also started a “smart parks” programme in which it identifies desolate landscapes in communities and transforms them into parks.

“Thus far, we are working on three landscapes in Gem Valley and three in Mamelodi East.

“Mamelodi has become one of the filthiest towns.

“Pollution is affecting the water quality, residents’ health, the environment, and the very air we breathe. It causes much social distress,” he said.

BYF is also promoting tourism to some of the hidden treasures of Mamelodi, its history and its people.

Shongwe said this initiative will help the township’s economy.

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