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The ambitious Greening Soweto campaign is growing successfully, with the target of 200 000 trees in sight.
JOBURG'S green revolution continues: the Greening Soweto campaign, launched in 2006, has resulted in 160 000 trees being planted so far.
Executive mayor Amos Masondo does his bit
Greening Soweto is an ambitious City project to beautify the massive township as a legacy of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ - and at the same time rectify the environmental imbalances created by decades of apartheid policies.
Overseen by City Parks, a municipal-owned entity, it is the biggest greening initiative in Johannesburg, with Johannesburg Water, City Power and Johannesburg Roads Agency also committed to it by ensuring there is sufficient water and power, and that roads are in good condition.
It has also been endorsed by the World Conservation Union and the national Department of Forestry.
The campaign kicked off in 2006 with Executive Mayor Amos Masondo leading the planting of some 6 000 trees; it has grown considerably since then. Trees have been planted on the pavements of Soweto, along its streets and roads; many parks have been built from scratch, others have been upgraded and still others have had their maintenance strategies improved.
A green legacy for the generations to come is the aim behind the campaign, which is being driven around the football World Cup. Beautifying the township for the tournament is part of the plan. When it started, the mission was to plant 200 000 trees in Soweto to turn the township into a green oasis on par with other areas, particularly the northern suburbs, in the city of gold.
It is more than two-thirds of the way to meeting this goal already, with just 40 000 trees to go.
Greening Soweto will improve the lives of people in the township, make it more aesthetically pleasing, and act as a catalyst to develop community ownership and civic pride.
Street trees
Since 2006, about 160 000 trees have been planted in Soweto, including along the famous Vilakazi Street, once home to two Nobel Peace Prize laureates - Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. Working with Airports Company South Africa, City Parks planted 57 indigenous trees on the street.
Maintaning Thokoza Park in Rockville
The partners also planted more than 540 trees along other roads, including Pela and Moema streets. Trees have been planted in many Soweto suburbs, including Bram Fischerville, Jabulani, Protea Glen and Naledi.
Parks
Many parks have also come alive through Greening Soweto, including the Diepkloof Extreme Park, which was constructed in 24 hours.
Once a barren piece of vacant land that was used to dump litter, it is now a green haven, a place for children to play with water features, expression walls and, of course, trees.
The Diepkloof Extreme Park won a gold award at the United Nations' Liveable Communities Awards, in Dongguan City, in China in November 2008.
Rockville's Thokoza Park has also received a makeover. This 4,5ha open space has been cleaned up and properly maintained. Its facilities include space for family picnics or braais, a children's playground, manicured lawns, paved footpaths, a big screen television for the community to watch sports events or children to watch educational programmes, a netball or basketball court, and shaded areas.
Dorothy Nyembe Park in Mofolo North and Mofolo Regional Park in Mofolo Central, have also been spruced up and are now attractive green lungs.
City Parks has partnered with other City departments, various private and non-governmental organisations and foreign countries to ensure that the dream of Greening Soweto is turned into a reality. These include Joburg Water, Pikitup, City Power, Johannesburg Roads Agency, Rand Water, Dell, Total SA, Software, Food and Trees for Africa, the governments of Norway and Denmark, Airports Company of South Africa and Talk Radio 702.
Private buy-in
And, with 40 000 trees still to go to reach its target, it has reiterated its call to private companies to support the campaign in a massive way. "We're encouraging the companies to plant more trees," says Jenny Moodley, the agency's spokesperson.
And Joburg continues to live up to its reputation as the world's largest manmade forest, with City Parks gunning for 10 000 new trees in September, marking Arbour Month in style.
"City Parks is the champion of greening public spaces in the City," she says.
The 10 000 trees are being planted across Johannesburg, including in its townships; the work began in Arbor Week - running as always from 1 to 7 September. The City has invested R10-million in the drive, she adds.
Among those being planted are the three trees identified by the national government as the trees of the year - monkey torn, fuchsia and round leaved teak.
"The monkey thorn, for instance, has an attractive shape cover and it complements our weather," Moodley says. "It's a tree of choice, looking at our highveld climate."
Orlando Park
On 21 September, International Parks Day, City Parks will officially open the new Orlando West Park, which is just a stone's throw away from Orlando Stadium. The park is also close to the Nkanyezi Park - designed specifically with disabled children in mind - which was opened in 2008.
The utility will also go on a drive to plant 3 000 trees across Joburg on Peace Day, and Executive Mayor Amos Masondo and Matshidiso Mfikoe, the mayoral committee member for environment and corporate services, will do their bit to increase the number of trees in Johannesburg. Joburg Water, Pikitup and Johannesburg Zoo will also support the campaign.
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