October 22, 2007
By George Matlala
THE green divide was a hot topic in Orlando, Soweto, as the City and its partner planted several dozen trees aimed at beautifying the area.
On a hot Thursday morning of 18 October, scores of staffers from Johannesburg City Parks and Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) planted 57 indigenous trees on what used to be a dumping site along Vilakazi Street, where Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela have homes.
The trees were the last of the 600 planted by City Parks and Acsa along various June 16 routes, including Pela Street and Moema Street, since early September.
The project fell under the City's ambitious Greening Soweto programme, through which Joburg aims to plant more than 300 000 trees in the townships in preparation for the 2010 Fifa World Cup™.
According to Luther Williamson, the manager of City Parks, support from businesses has helped the City to speed up greening programmes in Soweto. Speaking at Thursday's planting, Williamson said: "We want to make sure that all our disadvantaged [areas] have green lungs, have wonderful water features that add character from an environmental perspective."
Turning Soweto into an urban forest: Luther Williamson (centre) managing director of City Parks, Musa Dlamini (left) head of department for environmental affairs at Airports Company South Africa, and Gladys Fihla, councillor of ward 39
The government had to work with other stakeholders, including private businesses, to bridge the green divide between previously disadvantaged and advantaged areas. He called on other businesses to get involved in greening projects.
In addition, communities were urged to protect the facilities that had been built for them. "The issue is getting the community to buy in that this is their product; they need to take ownership [of it]," Williamson said.
Musa Dlamini, the head of department for environmental affairs at Acsa, agreed with his sentiments, saying that businesses had to give back to the communities they served. They especially had to focus on environmental disparities.
Though enjoying a boom in private and public sector investment, Soweto still faced serious challenges, including those of a healthy environment. "While Johannesburg is said to be a man-made forest seen on aerial view, Soweto still remains a dust bowl," he noted.
Acsa needed permission to develop the site further. "We want to get involved in this park," Dlamini said, adding that the company would work with the community to improve the area. "Depending on what the community wants to see, Acsa will be committed [to it]."
Gladys Fihla, the Ward 39 councillor, was happy that businesses were giving back to the community. Trees were an important part of the environment as they provided fresh air and shade, she said, urging the residents to take care of them.
"In our meetings, we always encourage people to adopt the trees [planted] in front of their homes." She added that a committee would be formed to take care of the park's maintenance.
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