Hopes new mural in city centre will inspire environmental change

The TUT Science Campus recently unveiled a new mural to encourage preservation of the environment.

The mural is the result of a collaboration between the Tshwane Metro, the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), the Danish Embassy, and the City of Aarhus.

The unveiling was attended by various representatives, including the Deputy Mayor Eugene Modise; the Ambassador of Denmark to South Africa, Karin Poulsen; and the TUT Dean of Sciences, Prof Ntobogeng Mokgalaka-Fleischmann, among others.

On May 19, stakeholders gathered at the campuses’ experimental garden, where students explored sustainable planting methods and innovative urban drainage systems.

The day’s events also included signing a UN sustainability pledge and planting a pepper bark tree. It is an endangered indigenous species known for its medicinal value.

A copy of the pledge was placed under the tree where it was planted, as a symbolic act that reinforces the project’s commitment to conservation, sustainability, and the restoration of local biodiversity.

Local artist Jaco Uitenweerde painted the mural, depicting South Africa’s national bird, the blue crane, flying through a polluted river to its nest, highlighting its vulnerability to pollution and environmental degradation.

Carrying the message ‘Let’s Clean up our Act,’ the mural calls on all residents to take responsibility for protecting natural ecosystems.

During his keynote address, Modise said the mural demonstrates that environmental stewardship is not only a scientific or policy matter, but also a cultural and human one.

“Art speaks across all human languages, disciplines, and generations. In doing so, it inspires reflection, dialogue and action.

“This mural stands as a vibrant reminder of the challenges we face, such as environmental degradation, water insecurity, and urban sustainability. By harnessing art as a medium of environmental advocacy, you have helped bring this critical issue into public spaces where residents can engage with it in their daily lives,” Modise said.

Deputy mayor Eugene Modise and Denmark ambassador, Karin Poulsen

 

Modise also commended TUT for its efforts in revitalising the section where the mural and garden are located.

Formally the site of a previous demolition and subjected to various illegitimate uses over time, the area is now a symbol of what can be done when everyone plays their part.

Modise also thanked the artist, the Capital Collective NPC for identifying the area and connecting stakeholders, the Arcadia CID and City Property for its role in uplifting urban spaces, and the Danish Embassy for its continued support and collaborative efforts regarding sustainability in the city.

“Too often, areas in our urban core are overlooked or misunderstood, despite their immense cultural and economic potential. By placing this artwork here, we are not only beautifying the space but reclaiming it, affirming that our city is a space of innovation, learning, and pride,” Modise added.

One of the Environment Sciences student representatives, Tebogo Phoofolo, urged the stakeholders to get involved in implementing unique and sustainable ways to combat challenges the youth currently face.

“This meeting has to spark some level of renewal, of responsibility, of purpose, and of commitment. It’s not just a meet-up, it’s something impactful, especially for students who want to be something in future,” Phoofolo said.

“In South Africa, we have many environmental problems, habitat destruction, floods, droughts, and the need for biodiversity law renewal. We need to think boldly in terms of innovation hubs to tackle unemployment. We need to not only focus on education but also on entrepreneurship, coming up with solutions to problems,” Phoofolo said.

The current Miss Africa and environmental activist, McCayla Warriker, who was part of the garden’s construction, says that they hope the latest mural will serve as a conservation starter.

“It’s amazing to see how it grows into a space where so many people can come through and continue building an emotional connection with the environment, and not just living a life of absorption. It’s gorgeous, beautiful, and an upgrade from the previous mural,” Warriker said.

Mareli Wassenaar of The Capital Collective NPC said that efforts such as these serve as a reminder that change doesn’t come from the top-down only, but the bottom-up.

“Art makes people think about this. It humanises places, stimulates conversations and creates pride in everyone, making environmental issues visible,” Wassenaar said.

“This mural shows that water sustainability is part of their daily lives. It’s part of their dignity, health, inequality, survival and the future for our city; it affects all of us. In a shared public space, where it’s not behind walls, or you have to pay a ticket to see, everyone sees it every day, and slowly, but surely, it becomes a part of their consciousness,” Wassenaar said.

Prof Mokgalaka-Fleischmann said that TUT encourages students and communities to become active custodians of natural resources and the urban environment.

“We believe that learning does not only take place in the classroom, but also through this garden; we know that learning extends to nature.

Mokgalaka-Fleischmann said that two years ago, it was a corner full of rubble, but it was transformed through partnerships and initiatives.

“It is more than the celebration of the mural; it is a shared commitment to environmental responsibility.”

The Danish Ambassador said this was the fourth mural that Denmark has sponsored in the Pretoria CBD and counts it as a diplomatic success.

“This is ultimately what the Tshwane-Aarhus partnership is about. Not grand gestures from far away, but real things, in real places, with real people. And I will remember this day every time I pass this place. From urban planning to water operations and leak detection, and citywide strategies and research, our partnership is a testament to long-term and deep collaboration,” Poulsen said.

Watch here: 

TUT Executive Dean (Faculty of Science): Prof Ntebogeng Mokgalaka-Fleischmann. “We encourage our students and communities to become active custodians of our natural resources and our urban environment.” #EnvironmentalMural pic.twitter.com/dHRSrkNJa7

— City of Tshwane (@CityTshwane) May 19, 2026

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