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Contents
of August 2005
EDITORIAL
Power and the city
UPFRONT
News
INSPIRATION
Laying a number of problems to
rest
INSULT
A house with a view
PLANNING PERSONALITY
Not your garden
variety: Durban’s approach
BATTLE OF THE ‘BURBS
Umhlanga v Amanzimtoti
TREE OF THE ISSUE
Erythrina lysistemon –
the Common Coral Tree
FEATURES
Sustainability in Tshwane: a
tale of two cities?
Space and time for celebration
EcoSan meets Eco-design
Waste management on a new track?
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EDITORIAL
Power and the city
The recent
land cleanup campaign in Zimbabwe is once again an example where a development and
planning concept such as urban renewal was used towards realising a political aim. A
two-month demolition campaign targeting “illegal structures” - mostly informal
homes and markets in urban areas - has left around 700 000 people without shelter, while
the United Nations estimates that the forced evictions have affected up to 2,4-million
people to varying degrees. At the end of June the Zimbabwean government announced the end
of Operation Murambatsvina (‘drive out filth’) and the launch of the
Zim$3-trillion (US$300-million) Operation Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle (‘stay well’).
However, there are still unofficial reports of incidents that smack of Apartheid-era
forced removals. This slum clearance (and the other events in Zimbabwe) highlights the
prominence of power in any development process. Decision makers, mostly politicians, can
direct or force a development process in a pre-determined and very specific direction.
Because of
South Africa’s history of large-scale negative government intervention and the misuse
of planning and development mechanisms to further the Apartheid agenda, we have a healthy
unease about the potential misuse of power. But at the same time we are experiencing
difficulties to enforce legislation and implement plans. There are a lot of good ideas
floating around, but just as many complaints and concerns about the rate of implementation
and execution. Recent efforts by government to improve the situation include the
appointment of so-called “green scorpions” (see page 7), a widely publicised
crackdown on polluters and calls for restructuring of municipalities in order to improve
service delivery. How are we going to improve the situation in South Africa without having
to engage in large-scale, expensive and probably not-so-democratic government
intervention?
Prof Wangari
Maathai, the 2004 Nobel peace prize laureate and Kenya’s assistant minister of the
environment, recently delivered the third annual Nelson Mandela lecture at Wits University
and argued that there is a need “to give our people values”. We cannot continue
to rely on the enforcement of legislation as the only way of making things happen. We have
to find ways of inspiring people to embrace values of taking responsibility for their own
living environments. Through entrenched values self-regulation becomes a viable option.
In this
issue we have taken on the mammoth task of looking at our capital city’s
environmental sustainability (see page 24). As in most South African cities, the issue of
urban sprawl surfaced as an important development issue. Of further interest is the fact
that the recently launched Tshwane Integrated Environmental Policy incidentally proposes
‘self regulation’ as a way to ensure that industry abides to the environmental
rules of the game. We further pay a visit to the new Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication in
Kliptown, Soweto (see page 30) and we take a critical look at development patterns and
trends in Amanzimtoti on the south coast and Umhlanga on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal
(see page 16). In all of these developments it is evident that managing and developing the
urban environment in a responsible manner will take more than the enforcement of
legislation, as we live in cities that are shaped by value-driven day-to-day actions and
decisions of individuals. - Engela Meyer
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UPFRONT
Skills development for the built environment professions
The National
Department of Public Works initiated a programme as part of its broader skills development
programme, which aims to promote the built environment professions and the construction
sector to the youth. The 2014 Youth Foundation was established by the Department in
September 2004 and identifies and selects suitable scholars around the country to
participate in provincial holiday schools. The Foundation aims at targeting maths and
science students between the ages of 13 and 15 years.
The
Department implemented a pilot project, whereby 33 scholars from Mpumalanga, Limpopo and
the Western Cape were selected to take part. Schools that were participating were given a
project in September 2004 to look at areas of their schools that could be improved to make
it a better place of learning for all. They were given a virtual project budget of R500
000 to work within. The Department assisted with the necessary support and assigned
professional mentors to give guidance to participants. In addition, they attended a
holiday-school in Saldanha during December 2004.
At a gala
dinner, on 30 June 2005, the winners were announced. Thulane Ndlovu, Mduduzi Mashego and
Mbali Dladla, from Thembeka High School received bursaries for the next five years from
the CSIR. Grinaker-LTA and WBHO will fund and build their design of adding additional
classrooms, among which, a science lab and improving the school hall. The Department will
be rolling out the concept of the 2014 Youth Foundation to the Northern Cape, Eastern Cape
and Free State towards the end of 2005.
Geographer wins
prestigious award
The 2005
winner of the JD Roberts Award is Dr Sharon Biermann of CSIR Building Technology. This
award recognises Biermann’s research contribution to public sector infrastructure
investment and development, focusing on integrated land use, infrastructure planning, land
suitability assessment, development prioritisation and spatial infrastructure economics.
Biermann is
a geographer and leading expert in sustainable urban development. She has a PhD in
geography and has made a significant contribution to creating a better understanding of
the challenges of low-cost and affordable housing in a rapidly urbanising South African
environment. Her research has been applied, among others, by the Gauteng Province in its
investigation into the costs and benefits associated with different housing localities,
the Policy Unit of the Presidency in updating the National Spatial Development
Perspective, and the National Department of Housing in producing a series of national
atlases.
Biermann has
recently been appointed to serve as an advisor on the Gauteng Infrastructure Committee of
Inquiry and also heads up a team developing an Infrastructure Investment Spatial Targeting
Framework for the Province.
The annual
JD Roberts Award was instituted by Murray & Roberts in the late 1970s, it recognises
and promotes competitive and environmentally sustainable solutions to human dilemmas and
encourages scientific research into technology that will enhance the quality of life of
all South Africans.
Managing the
micro climate
According to
the Sunday Times, Durban’s eThekwini Municipality is considering moves to preserve
beach sunshine through a ban on buildings that cast shadows. Laws putting a stop to
constructions blocking the sun’s rays have been successfully implemented at popular
beaches in the United States and on Australia’s Gold Coast.
The
municipality reportedly requested a shadow study to be done in 2004 by developers of the
upmarket Pearls of Umhlanga. The development is to consist of two low-rise apartment
blocks and up to three highrise tower blocks. The two lower blocks pose no problem and the
first 23-storey highrise has also been approved. A shadow study is being conducted in the
second 27-storey tower and the Sunday Times reports that no application has been made for
the third highrise building. Andrew Mather, Durban’s project executive on coastal
policy said: “We want a balanced approach to development, not just driven by
developers who build, sell and leave the urban management problems to the municipality,
and ratepayers to pick up the tab.”
Western Cape
focused on sustainable development
The voices
of poor people, who are often victims of unsustainable practices and environmental
degradation, are seldom heard in debates on sustainable development,” said Western
Cape MEC for Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Tasneem Essop, at the opening
of a three-day conference on sustainable development in June 2005. Local and international
delegates from government, business and civil society attended the conference at the Cape
Town International Convention Centre.
A strong
focus of the discussions was putting people at the centre of sustainable development.
“It is, after all, people who create wealth and it is people’s attitudes and
respect for nature that will ensure how wealth is created, and how people live together,
will determine our destiny and nature’s destiny,” Ms Essop said.
Provincial
government and civil society are to develop a Sustainable Development Implementation Plan
(SDIP) to guide growth and development in the Western Cape. The conference came up with a
Declaration of Intent, which would act as a basis for the plan. Immediate priorities,
which were identified for implementation, include building sustainable human settlements,
embedding sustainable development in growth, trade and tourism strategies and integrating
sustainable development and governance. The Provincial Development Council would
facilitate development of the SDIP and the conference set a timeframe of a year for its
adoption.
The results
of the provincial conference will also feed into a National Strategy for Sustainable
Development expected to be finalised by March next year. BuaNews
Cooperation in
plastics recycling industry
Coca-Cola
South Africa (Pty) Ltd is involved in a joint venture with the South African Polyester
Recyclers (SAPR), which sees the recovery and recycling of used PET bottles (2l Coke
bottles). The direct benefits of the project are job creation, poverty alleviation and a
sustainable and viable solution to a pressing issue.
PET plastic,
otherwise known as polyethylene terephthalate (a form of polyester used to make strong,
lightweight, shatter resistant bottles for soft drinks), has become a victim of its own
growing popularity. South Africa’s current annual consumption of PET is reaching 100
000 t, increasing at approximately 10% per annum. It is estimated that the sale of PET
bottles in 2005 is fast approaching the 2-billion bottles a year mark, while the recycling
rate is expected to be 12%. Before the end of the decade the aim is to increase the rate
to between 23% and 25%.
PET plastic
is recycled into many interesting commonly used products such as fibre fill for pillows,
boot carpet liners, fleece jackets, containers, tennis balls and many other items. The
South African Polyester Recyclers opened a state of the art, hi-tech recycling plant under
the name of Extrupet in March 2005.
Coca-Cola
South Africa (Pty) Ltd also announced that a PET recycling company, known as PETCO, was
formed earlier this year with the objective of helping to sustain and improve efforts
directed at the national collection and recycling of PET. Possible interventions include
education and awareness, where partnerships with schools, communities, retailers,
municipalities and the informal sector collection teams are deemed to be integral.
ICLEI is coming
to Cape Town
The City of
Cape Town is hosting ICLEI’s World Congress, which will take place in Cape Town at
the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 27 February to 3 March 2006. This will
be the first time that this prestigious triennial event will be held in Africa, in a
developing context, and in the Southern Hemisphere. The 2006 World Congress promises to be
a dynamic event with keynote presentations, workshops, debates, networking events,
reports, an interactive exhibition and site visits. Over 500 delegates from 135 local
governments from 59 countries attended the last World Congress in Athens in 2003.
ICLEI
(International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) is an international
association of local governments implementing sustainable development. More than 500
cities and towns from around the world are full members of the Council, with hundreds of
additional local governments participating in specific ICLEI campaigns and projects.
ICLEI’s mission is to build and serve a worldwide movement of local governments to
achieve tangible improvements in global conditions through cumulative local actions.
ICLEI 2006
will help review local government progress on targets set at the WSSD and showcase
projects, which represent this action. ICLEI’s programmes, which will form important
inputs at the congress, include: Local Agenda 21, Water Campaign, Cities for Climate
Protection, Resilient and Vulnerable Communities, Urban Mobility, Eco-Efficient Cities,
Green Procurement, and Renewable Energy. Newly introduced themes, such as Urban
Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism, will also be showcased.
The City of
Cape Town will be hosting a ‘Cape Town Day’. There are seven site visits, which
have been identified in the Western Cape. The themes for these visits include:
biodiversity, water and sanitation, urban mobility, energy and climate change, health and
responsible tourism. The full day tour will include a morning of site visits, followed by
a lunch and an afternoon workshop.
“We
recognise that sustainability is not just an add-on to the agenda. It is, increasingly, a
central focus area in the development and service delivery process. Cape Town knows that
such development requires partnerships and we will therefore do all we can to make next
year’s congress the most successful ICLEI World Congress to date,” said Cape
Town Executive Mayor, Alderman Nomaindia Mfeketo in April 2005 at the official signing of
the agreement to host the conference.
Tshwane launches
environmental policy
The City of
Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality launched the Tshwane Integrated Environmental Policy
(TIEP) on Wednesday, 15 June 2005. The aim of the policy is to guide all roleplayers in
Tshwane to execute all their activities in such a way as not to harm the environment
through basic environmental principles, goals and objectives. The strategic issues
addressed in the TIEP include: environmental governance, spatial development planning,
economic development, social development, environmental awareness and education and
environmental resource management. The TIEP was introduced by Nava Pillay, the Strategic
Executive Officer: Housing, City Planning and Environmental Management, followed by an
informative presentation on the content of the TIEP by the General Manager of the
Environmental Management Division, Janet Loubser. The morning’s formalities concluded
with a pledging ceremony where political representatives demonstrated their commitment to
upholding the TIEP.
Green Scorpions set to strike
A new unit,
formally known as environmental management inspectors (EMIs), was established and
announced by the Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism in his budget speech
recently. These inspectors will be endowed with a range of enforcement powers, from
routine inspections to the right to search and seize, as well as to set up roadblocks and
arrest suspects.
“Cutting
edge laws and standards mean little without the muscle to enforce them... the Green
Scorpions are about to be unleashed on polluters, poachers, illegal developers and all
other environmental criminals,” Minister van Schalkwyk said. The inspectors will also
be given the power to issue formal notices to individuals or corporations breaking the
country’s environmental laws, or not complying with the terms of their licenses. The
EMIs have been appointed under the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA).
It is
claimed that, for the first time, environmental enforcers will be part of a national
network including park rangers, conservation and air quality officers, marine and coastal
enforcement officials, pollution and waste enforcement officers, and officials monitoring
urban development.
According to
EMI head Peter Lukey, the inspectors, all of whom have a legal background - will focus on
enforcing NEMA legislation, as well as laws pertaining to pollution, air quality,
protected areas and biodiversity. “The EMIs are not a police force, but professional
environmental management inspectors,” he said. Their ranks will include between 20
and 30 members in the national department, a further 15 members in each of the nine
provinces, and about 300 SA National Park rangers. If necessary, the inspectors will call
in the police for help in dangerous situations.
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INSPIRATION
Laying a number of problems to rest
The
inspiration of this issue comes from an unexpected source. The Department of WaternAffairs
and Forestry (DWAF) recently announced that a partnership between the wellknown Working
for Water programme, key government departments and faith-based groups has been awarded
US$150 000 (about R1-million) for a two-year pilot project to manufacture
“Eco-Friendly Coffins”.
The proposal
was one of 31 winners, from over 2 600 entries, in the World Bank’s “Development
Marketplace” finals in Washington D.C., USA in May. These awards are geared to
stimulate innovative development projects.
Eco-friendly
coffins will be made from wood from invasive alien plants cleared by the Working for Water
programme, a flagship Expanded Public Works Programme of government. Invasive alien plants
have a destructive impact on water security, bio-diversity and agricultural production, as
well as through wild fires, soilerosion and other impacts. Working for Water attempts to
turn this around, using the clearing of the invasive plants to create opportunities for
people to earn a living.
The project
aims to make coffins available to the poor at a more affordable cost, working through
faith-based groups and with the funeral industry. Professor Gabriel Ndabandaba, MEC for
Agriculture and Environmental Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal, whose partnership with Working for
Water will co-fund the pilot project, said that the costs of funerals are crippling to the
poor. “Not only do these families have to cope with their loss, but the funeral costs
often worsen the grip of poverty,” he said.
The Deputy
Minister of Correctional Services, Ms Cheryl Gillwald, said that the intention was to
build on the Working for Water programme’s efforts to provide opportunities for the
re-integration into society of former inmates, by having the coffins manufactured by teams
partially comprised of former in-mates.
Deputy
Minister Derek Hanekom said that the Department of Science and Technology, which is
assisting the Working for Water programme in innovative ways to optimise its outputs, will
facilitate the project management for the manufacture of the coffins. He stressed that
these will be quality products, respectful of the dignity of the deceased.
The Alliance
of Religion and Conservation (ARC) will assist in reaching the bereaved, working with and
through local faith-based groups. Dr Martin Palmer of the UK-based ARC committed his
organisation to co-funding the initiative.
They also
hope to encourage faith-based groups in Europe to provide financial assistance in the
provision of the coffins to the poor, as well as in importing the coffins for use in their
communities.
Deputy
Minister Gillwald said that the facilities and equipment of the Department of Correctional
Services will be made available for the growing of indigenous plants that can be used for
rehabilitation, thereby creating further training and employment for former inmates and
those living in poverty.
The initial
pilot project will be set up in KwaZulu-Natal, in an area still to be identified. This
decision will be based on a variety of factors, including the availability of suitable
cleared wood, the facilities of the Department of Correctional Services, and the
partnership with a relevant local authority.
The thinking
behind the project is commended. This sort of venture is essential if we are to realise
the principles of sustainable development. Of course, the sheer optimism of the project is
inspiring and we hope and trust that the said project management and the commitment of the
numerous partners will ensure that the envisaged outcomes are achieved.
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INSULT
A house with a view
The
Hartbeespoort Dam area has long been regarded as a leisure and residential destination for
Gauteng’s affluent city dwellers. With its beautiful ridges, mild climate, attractive
surroundings and water-related activities it has become a paradise for developers of
security estates and other high-income residential developments. Development sprung up
around the Dam at an unprecedented rate over the past few years. Property prices have gone
through the roof and although the Local Municipality of Madibeng would have been delighted
about the potential increase in tax revenue, they should also have been concerned about
measures for managing this rapid development. How are they to accommodate development
pressure without impacting negatively on the natural environment, the aspect that probably
attracted development in the first place?
Driving
towards Kosmos on the northern side of the Dam, you will pass a private residential
dwelling towering out over its surroundings. The visual impact on the area was evidently
not taken into consideration when development was approved. Having a view on the Dam was
obviously the single most important aspect informing the decision to allow such an eyesore
on this beautiful ridge. The obtrusive construction is visible from a distance.
High income
residential development is still in demand in the area and new developments are on offer
by the dozen, with among others, expansion to well-known Pecanwood Golf Estate and the
planned Xanadu Eco Park residential development. Does the Madibeng Local Municipality have
environmental mechanisms in place to manage future development or will Hartbeespoort
remain a cash cow to supplement municipal income? Will future development be done in an
environmentally responsible manner or is it too late already?
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PLANNING PERSONALITY
Not your garden variety:
Durban’s approach
eThekwini
Municipality’s Deputy Head: Environmental Management is often associated with the
Local Agenda 21 drive and the pioneering work that she did for Durban in this regard.
Engela Meyer caught up with Debra Roberts to discuss current-day environmental issues and
to find out what is happening on the environmental front in eThekwini Municipality.
Engela Meyer (EM): You are currently the Deputy Head: Environmental Management in the
Development Planning and Management Unit in eThekwini Municipality. What is the function
and focus of the unit?
Dr Debra
Roberts (DR): The function of the unit is bio-diversity planning and management. A few
years ago we were very much involved with the Local Agenda 21 and sustainability drive.
Initially, the Department acted as a champion of sustainable development, but now, the
city’s IDP ensures that sustainable development has become the core business of every
municipal official. The IDP provides the local platform where these issues are to be
addressed. As a result, the Department has now refocused its activities on planning and
protecting the city’s rich natural resource base and associated biodiversity.
People
benefit from a range of environmental goods and services that are provided by open spaces,
the ecosystems they contain and the plants and animals that live in them. These benefits
include fuel and food, flood prevention, water provision, breakdown of waste and
recreational areas to enjoy. We look at the natural resource base and the role it plays in
the delivery of environmental goods and services. Because these goods and services are
essential in meeting people’s basic needs, the natural resource base is regarded as
“platform infrastructure” within the city, and is as important as other
infrastructure, such as roads and houses. Using resource economics, it was estimated in
2003 that the total value of the goods and services supplied by the ecosystems within the
city’s open space system is R3,1-billion per annum. That is equivalent to
approximately a quarter of the current city budget. As such, the environment is
irreplaceable and essential to economic and social sustainability.
EM: What are the most
pressing environmental and/or development issues that you have to deal with in the
eThekwini Municipality?
DR: It has been ten years since the environmental management function was first
established in the erstwhile Durban municipality. The municipal area grew from 300 km2 to
2 290 km2, requiring the Environmental Management Department to address both urban and
rural environmental challenges.
66% of the
total area of eThekwini Municipality is rural in nature. About 63 000 ha or 27% of the land in the
eThekwini Municipal area has been identified as environmentally sensitive and it is this
land that supplies most environmental goods and services. The question is how to protect
the natural resource base so that it can continue to deliver a sustainable supply of
environmental goods and services. A significant portion of this land is privately owned,
which creates the challenge of creating innovative tools which will allow local government
to ensure that conservation-worthy land is protected while at the same time allowing
development to proceed on a sustainable basis.
As in all of
South Africa’s cities and towns, the issues of poverty and HIV/Aids are high on the
development agenda and environmental management has to take these issues into
consideration. There is also a great need for low cost housing and infrastructure
provision. The infill policies and densification strategies of the various cities in South
Africa will pose a challenge to environmental management, especially in highly bio-diverse
cities such as Durban and Cape Town.
EM: How are you
approaching environmental management at the moment?
DR: As I mentioned, we need to create economic opportunities while conserving
our natural resource base. The municipality does not own most of the environmentally
sensitive land in Durban and landowners may wish to develop their land to their liking. In
order to complement the municipality’s regulatory role, a number of tools have been
developed, or are under development, to ensure that the benefits from our natural assets
can be secured.
A common
outcome of a development assessment process is that the especially sensitive parts of a
property are protected by a conservation servitude registered in favour of the
municipality. Portions of the property are thus protected, but remain in the ownership of
the landowner. Servitude areas may only be used for conservation or passive recreation
purposes.
Property
taxes can also be used as an incentive to encourage development in appropriate places. For
example, vacant land in the city attracts the highest taxes and agricultural land the
lowest taxes. There is, thus, an incentive to develop vacant land regardless of its
qualities and at times this leads to undesirable consequences. The municipality is
currently working on an approach which will remove this perverse incentive.
In cases
where regulation means total loss of economic return, the municipality, or another
regulator, may be obliged to acquire land. This is, however, not the preferred approach,
because of costs of land and management responsibilities.
The
eThekwini Environmental Services Management Plan (EESMP) provides the broader framework
for planning and managing the city’s natural resource base.
There is
growing awareness of the need for development to occur within the carrying capacity of
natural and built systems. In many places in the city this capacity is already being
exceeded. The municipality is responding strategically through the development of Spatial
Development Plans for the four key catchment areas in the city. This will ensure that the
urban form ultimately reflects and responds to social, economic and ecological needs and
considerations. The need to ensure long-term sustainability was seen as important enough
for the City Manager to put in place a development moratorium in the Outer West catchment
area in order to provide sufficient time for this planning to proceed and give direction
to the future development of the area.
EM: What do you think will
be driving the environmental agenda in South Africa in the years to come?
DR: Sustainability will be hard to achieve, but it provides us with a goal to
strive towards. The key challenge remains the poverty dilemma, and achieving a balance
between economic growth and environmental protection. HIV/Aids is a further complicating
factor.
For all of
this to be addressed and achieved, partnerships between communities, local government and
developers are of crucial importance. People sometimes look for recipes, but there are no
recipes. We are working with people who have different needs, aspirations and situations.
Strategies and approaches are therefore unique and context-specific.
Another
major issue that we have to deal with is the fact that the profit margins of development
are so large. It is not always easy or even possible to “sell” the environmental
agenda. Therefore, it is my opinion that local level interventions are the power base of
the future. The role of local government as a key implementer of sustainable development
is not, however, sufficiently recognised. According to the Constitution, the environment
is a national and provincial mandate and the local sphere of governance has a largely
un-funded mandate in terms of its role as an implementing agent.
EM: What do you think
should be prioritised on the South African environmental agenda?
DR: Climate disruption is the biggest environmental threat to people and the
global ecosystem and, at the moment, the issue is not receiving the attention it deserves.
At eThekwini Municipality, we have responded to the issue of climate change on different
levels. Our open space system takes this into consideration and we are undertaking a
climate protection campaign. As part of this campaign we have developed a greenhouse
emission inventory for local government. We have also initiated an energy-efficiency
programme in municipal buildings and are working with the CSIR to understand what impacts
climate change is likely to have on the city in the future.
Although
these efforts are small and seemingly insignificant in the broader picture of climate
change, it is my belief that such an incremental approach from local government’s
side is the only viable way to address the issue. The same principles that were applied in
Local Agenda 21, where municipalities were rallying around a cause, is the answer to
eventually making a significant global impact.
Dr Debra Roberts
Debra Roberts matriculated in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and went on to complete a B.Sc
at the University of Natal, Durban and a B.Sc (Hons) in Terrestrial Systems Ecology and
Biogeography at the same institution. She completed her PhD in 1991 with the theme of her
thesis: “An open space survey of municipal Durban.”
From 1991 to
1993, Dr Roberts lectured in the Department of Geographical and Environmental Sciences at
the University of Natal. Dr Roberts joined the eThekwini Municipality in 1994 and was
involved in the establishment and development of the Environmental Management Branch. As a result of her work in this field, Durban
became the first city in South Africa (in 1994) to accept Local Agenda 21 as a corporate
responsibility.
Dr Roberts
was involved in overseeing the preparation of the National Report to Habitat II (the
United Nations City Summit held in Istanbul in 1996) She was invited as a specialist
speaker at the Fourth Global Forum of Parliamentarians on Habitat held in Berlin, Germany
in May 2003. She also acted as representative for the International Council for Local
Environmental Initiatives at this meeting.
In 2004, she
was selected as one of 12 people to participate in the Watson International Scholars of
the Environment Programme at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island (USA). She was
also selected as a member of the panel of experts convened by the Southern African
Institute for Environmental Assessment in 2004 in Windhoek, Namibia to give input into
environmental impact assessment in the SADC region. She was selected as a member of the
International Panel of Experts established by the German Federal Ministry of Education and
Research in 2005 to review project proposals submitted for the “Research for the
sustainable development of tomorrow’s mega cities” project.
Durban’s vision for
2020
“By 2020, the eThekwini Municipality will enjoy the reputation of being
Africa’s most caring and liveable city, where all citizens live in harmony. This
Vision will be achieved by growing its economy and meeting people’s needs so that all
citizens enjoy a high quality of life with equal opportunities in a city that they are
truly proud of.”
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BATTLE OF THE ‘BURBS
Umhlanga v Amanzimtoti
In
our ongoing evaluation of the planning and functioning of different suburbs, Engela Meyer
compares Umhlanga and Amanzimtoti, two very different suburbs, respectively located north
and south of the central Durban area.
Cited as
South Africa’s playground, the beachfronts of the eThekwini Municipality (the Durban
metropolitan area) need no introduction. The coastline of KwaZulu-Natal has been, and
remains, a traditional and very popular destination for generations of holidaymakers. But,
development trends changed significantly over the past few decades and it might be an
opportune time to take stock of the state of development in places such as Umhlanga and
‘Toti. Questions need to be asked and answered as to the sustainability of current
activities and future developments in these well-known suburbs of Durban.
Umhlanga
means “Place of Reeds” in Zulu, referring to the beds of reeds that accumulate
on the banks of the Ohlanga River, a few kilometres north of present-day Umhlanga Rocks.
The area used to be part of a coastal dune forest system many years ago and provided
sanctuary to a multitude of bird and wildlife species, of which many can still be found in
bird, marine, and wildlife preserves in and around the area today. In 1869, the Oyster
Lodge was built on a site overlooking the Indian Ocean and over the years, this site has
become one of Umhlanga’s landmarks. It has become the Oyster Box Hotel, and recently,
the site has been utilised for the so-called Oysters development, which is made up of
three high-rise and one low-rise building of luxury apartments. In 1920 Umhlanga was
divided into plots. Probably the most famous landmark in Umhlanga, the Umhlanga
lighthouse, was completed in 1954.
The name
Amanzimtoti is a combination of two Zulu words: amanzi, meaning water and ‘mtoti
(kancane), meaning sweet(ish). According to legend this is what Shaka, king of the Zulus
in the 19th century said when one of his warriors brought him water to drink while
encamped on the banks of, what is today, the Amanzimtoti River. The development of the
railway on the south coast opened the area as a prime tourist destination and also
resulted in the growth of the sugar industry. Rail service from Durban to Isipingo
commenced in January 1880. In 1896, work began on the rail extension to Park Rynie. The
section to Umkomaas was operational by 1897. The first hotel in Amanzimtoti was built in
1898, soon after the regular train service to the area commenced. ‘Toti was granted
local administration in 1934, with a population of 774.
Although
sharing a number of similarities, these two suburbs had very different development
trajectories. What are the implications in terms of sustainability?
Accessibility
Umhlanga: 8
*
Good road linkages
with the rest of eThekwini municipality
*
Proposed King Shaka
Airport to have a major impact
Located 18 km north of Durban, the accessibility of Umhlanga from the N2
and the M4 is probably one of the main reasons for the extent of the development in the
area. Being very accessible from both Richards Bay and Durban makes it the ideal location
for service industries and office developments. In addition, relative close proximity to
populous areas such as Phoenix, Verulam and Tongaat adds to the attraction for developers.
About 30 km
north of Durban’s inner city at La Mercy, a R1,7-billion airport called King Shaka
International Airport is proposed, which will complement the north coast developments.
“Continued growth in our economy must be underpinned by strong infrastructure,”
said Premier Ndebele in his State of the Province Address 2004. “We must cement our
position as the trade hub of Africa with concrete action plans for the King Shaka Airport
and Dube Trade Port.” The airport is planned not only to have better facilities for
international passenger carriers than the current airport, but as part of the Dube Trade
Port, which will be an industrial development zone; it will provide information technology
and telecommunications infrastructure to manufacturing and logistics companies. “Our
target is an operational King Shaka airport by 2009, in time for the Soccer World
Cup,” said the then provinicial Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Michael
Mabuykhulu.
‘Toti: 6.5
*
Well served by
mini-bus taxis
*
Important rail link
*
Relatively close to
Durban
International Airport Instrumental in the establishment of the town, the rail link is
still important for Amanzimtoti. The functional linkages that the town has with nearby
industrial areas of high employment are evident through the presence of a large number of
mini-bus taxis. Although there is ongoing discussion on the future of Durban International
Airport, the immense potential of its close proximity to ‘Toti cannot be
overestimated when considered future development in the area.
Land use
Both Umhlanga and ‘Toti have a strong tourism character, with holiday
apartments and medium and high-rise buildings
Umhlanga: 6.5
*
High-income
residential
*
Pedestrian-friendly
central area
*
Major office and
retail development in close vicinity
Umhlanga has seen immense growth, especially over the last few years. Major
office development in La Lucia Ridge and high-income residential developments in Umhlanga
paved the way for extensive investment in accompanying retail and residential development.
Land use is mixed and ranges from the pedestrian-friendly local shopping venues of
Umhlanga village to the grand, theme park-like Gateway Theatre of Shopping.
In terms of
affordability, residential development is provided, although it might be argued that the
existing beachfront units are all being refurbished and changed into luxury apartments,
not necessarily affordable to the man on the street. The stately (and sometimes not so
stately) homes on Umhlanga Ridge’s single stands remain an upmarket trademark of the
area and increasingly, Umhlanga is playing a bigger role in terms of providing both
housing and employment to the greater Durban metropolitan area. Therefore alternative
types of middle to upper class residential development such as Somerset Park, were
initiated. Apartments around Gateway are also being developed. Controlled access is an
indication that security is one of the selling points in the area.
According to
the Durban Investment Promotion Agency, Umhlanga Rocks provides employment to 8 000
people, and the economic activity is focused on retail, services, offices and tourism.
Despite
major changes in the near vicinity, central Umhlanga still has a quaint village atmosphere
that is pedestrian friendly. Dotted with numerous roadside cafes, coffee shops, 24-hour
takeaways, pubs and shops, all within walking distance of the central Umhlanga village,
situated around the Hillcon and Granada Centres.
Umhlanga has
a promenade that stretches all the way from the northern edge of Umhlanga, down to the
last of the hotels to the south. Also known as O’Conner Promenade, it is accessible
from virtually every beachfront complex and winds it’s way past numerous
entertainment centres, sites, coffee shops and beachfront restaurants in a well lit and
safe environment patrolled by police personnel on mountain bikes. Professional life guards
are also stationed at all the beaches along the Umhlanga coastline.
‘Toti: 6.5
•
Established
residential areas
•
Shops and amenities to
support the community
•
Lack of office space
result in predominantly dormitory uses
•
Fragmented feeling
Amanzimtoti has not seen the rampant development of Umhlanga in recent years.
The area has well-established residential areas, but the retail and other areas seem to be
in need of an upgrade, or at least a revamp. Retail development is focused on serving the
local community. The effects of the main road through ‘Toti is still evident, as it
has lost the ‘village’ ambiance. The close vicinity to major industrial areas
might exacerbate this feeling. Industrial development is found at Prospecton and
Umbogintwini just to the north of ‘Toti. The town provides approximately 9 300
employment opportunities and is basically focused on tourism and retail, with close links
to Prospecton and Umbogintwini.
Development
potential
Umhlanga: 9
•
Established
development attracts investors
•
Coordinated
development through a single development company
•
Mixed use development
•
Locality to harbours
and planned airport
•
Land is expensive
The development potential of Umhlanga cannot be disputed. The past few
years has seen unprecedented development on a variety of fronts. New office parks,
industrial estates, residential complexes, commercial buildings and tourist facilities
have exploded along this northern corridor. This progress provides spin-offs for the
commercial property market. One of KwaZulu-Natal’s leading corporates,
Tongaat-Hulett, has backed a substantial renewal impetus to the north of Durban. Some time
ago, to ensure the maximum return on its immense real estate holdings, group subsidiary
Moreland was given the responsibility of converting sugar cane fields into higher yielding
property developments. Moreland has been driving development in the area. This can be
viewed as both positive and negative. On the one hand, it provides a monopoly and might
send prices skyrocketing, but, on the other hand, it might result in positive, coordinated
and integrated land use planning.
A number of
high profile, successful developments in the area, such as Gateway and the Sibaya casino,
add to the prestige of the area and attract investors to Umhlanga.
‘Toti: 6.5
*
More affordable land
prices
*
Government investment
priority
*
Key developments
planned
KwaZulu-Natal’s mid-to-upper south coast may still be short of the blazing
development of the north coast, but the region is gearing up. The Amanzimtoti-Scottburgh
axis, long overshadowed by the Umhlanga-Ballito region, has had recent indications of
development interest. The 2004 sale of the Toti Towers for R26-million to a private
investor is one of the priciest property sales recorded in the area in recent years.
Investment
interest in the Amanzimtoti area has grown over the past few years. Although it is not on
the level of the north coast, the fact that land prices are more affordable adds to the
attraction. An example of recent R1,5-billion development interest is the proposed
refurbishment of the old Umbogintwini Village, consisting of 130 existing homes and the
addition of a further 180 homes. It will be known as Arbour Village and is likened to Cape
Town’s Canal Walk by developers Keystone Investments. This will be followed by a
second phase of construction of a retirement village. A third phase involves the
construction of “The Galleria”, a 90 000 m2 single-level retail centre on the
existing golf course running parallel with the N2 and another six-storey apartment block.
But the
prestige of development in the area is not what it is in Umhlanga. Close proximity to the
South Durban Basin with its industrial pollution means that the area is not always an
attractive development option. It does, however, receive government attention due to the
problems in the area.
Community
Umhlanga: 6.5
*
Variety
*
Pertinent planning for
people-friendly environment
The Umhlanga area is home to a fair mix of people, but increasingly it has
become a question of who can afford the land and the lifestyle. The golf estates in the
area have controlled access and provide residents with 24-hour security. The local village
of Umhlanga still has a sense of community, which Moreland wants to secure and replicate
in its other developments.
For the past
few years, Moreland has been working with GAPP Architects and Urban Designers in creating
a comprehensive development manual to guide the development of individual sites for the
Umhlanga Ridge New Town Centre. According to Erky Wood of GAPP, what has emerged out of
this process is one of the most comprehensive set of guidelines ever seen for a project of
this scale in South Africa. The design of the new town centre is based on the principles
of “New Urbanism”. New Urbanism promotes the creation and restoration of
diverse, walkable, compact, vibrant, mixed-use communities composed of the same components
as conventional development, but assembled in a more integrated fashion, in the form of
complete communities. These contain housing, work places, shops, entertainment, schools,
parks, and civic facilities, essential to the daily lives of the residents, all within
easy walking distance of each other.
It remains
to be seen whether this approach will deliver the desired results. In principle it is
positive that the sense of community is a priority, but some might argue that a manual
that gives guidelines on colours, textures and recommended building materials might be an
exercise in micro-management and eventually takes the “spirit” out of a
development.
‘Toti: 6.5
*
Environmental lobby
groups
*
Development not
integrated
Amanzimtoti also has variety in the compilation of its communities. Recent
years have seen the establishment of environmental lobby groups and more active
residents’ associations, which contribute to a sense of community in the area, but
the fact that the physical layout of the town is not very integrated makes this difficult.
As opposed to Umhlanga, which recently acquired a strong mixed-use function in addition to
its dormitory and tourist function, Amanzimtoti still has a very strong character of
holiday homeowners, which makes for fluctuations in the number of people and the
compilation of the community throughout the year.
Environment
Umhlanga: 6
*
Metro Open Space Plan
*
Environmental
awareness raising
*
High tempo of
development
*
Precious biodiversity
of the area
Indigenous landscaping forms part of nearly all of the brand new developments
in Umhlanga. The design guidelines for Somerset, and other similar developments,
specifically cater for this approach. The eThekwini Metro Open Space Plan is a high
profile planning tool in the Durban metro area and plays an important guiding role in all
new developments.
Recently, a
neighbouring planned development bordering on the Hawaan forest was forced to make changes
by government before environmental approval was granted. The Hawaan Forest Estate is an
upmarket residential estate, with a strong environmental theme, linking it to the Hawaan
Forest, situated north of Umhlanga. The environmental outcry sensitised residents in the
area. However, concern remains as development happens at a very high tempo, and this is an
area of important natural biodiversity.
‘Toti: 5.5
*
Industrial development
in close proximity
*
Metro Open Space Plan
As mentioned earlier, the South Durban Basin is known as a pollution hotspot.
From the government’s side, there is a new drive to enforce environmental legislation
more effectively. According to Siva Chetty of eThekwini Municipality, there has been a 40%
to 45% reduction of sulphur dioxide in the area. This is positive, but the area is still
viewed as environmentally flawed and ‘Toti is often, somewhat unfairly, viewed as
part of the South Durban Basin.
As is the
case in Umhlanga, the eThekwini Metro Open Space Plan plays an important guiding role in
all new developments. The central town area has problems with litter. This is probably
linked to the number of commuters moving through the area on a daily basis, and the street
vendors serving them.
Conclusion
Umhlanga: 36
‘Toti: 31.5
Both of these suburbs of Durban conjure up fond memories of hot summer holidays
for travellers from the interior, but these are towns like any other. They are subject to
change and they need constant monitoring and management. Sustainability requires suburbs
that continue to meet residents’ needs. It does not mean that these suburbs remain
unchanged. It is how changes are dealt with and accommodated that is of importance.
Against the
background of the property boom and the relatively stable political situation in South
Africa, it is relatively safe to predict that both Umhlanga and Amanzimtoti will attract
their fair share of investment interest in the next few years. At this point it seems that
Umhlanga is better geared for the accompanying changes. ‘Toti has to reconsider its
position and its ability to make the most of the opportunities that will no doubt come its
way.
Krishni
Gounden and Puvendra Akkiah of eThekwini Municipality assisted with providing information
used in compiling this article.
-----
TREE OF THE ISSUE
Erythrina lysistemon –
the Common Coral Tree
This
month's 'tree of the issue' is the choice of Christopher Dalzell, curator of the Durban
Botanic Gardens, The Erythrina lysistemon, or common coral tree, can easily be planted in
most urban areas.
The Durban
Botanic Gardens has, for over 100 years, had a fine mixed arboretum of African , Asian and
American trees. The current curator of the Gardens, Christopher Dalzell, is of the opinion
that there is no tree more beautiful than the common Coral tree, which is found growing
throughout the urban metropolis of Durban. It is found predominantly along the coastal
regions of the former Transkei and of KwaZulu-Natal, and up into tropical Africa.
Erythrina gets its name from the Greek work ;erythros', meaning 'red'. There are about 120
species worldwide, of which six reach tree size in South Africa.
It is easily
grown from seed or truncheons, which makes it an easy tree to grow and, thus very popular.
Growth is extremely fast, up to 1,5 m per year. After about three years, vertical growth
slows and the tree thickens out. This small to medium size tree can grow to 10m under
ideal conditions but usually remains between 3 m and 6 m in height. It can be pruned
heavily every few years, keeping it to the size you want. The bark is a pale grey brown,
smoothish with lengthwise grooves, sometimes with scattered hooked thorns on the stem and
leaves. Leaves are three-foliated. The flowers appear in winter and are bright red (pink
and white variations are also found) in compact, slender, erect heads found on thick,
brown stalks, The fruit pods are black, long, narrow, and constricted between the seeds,
in hanging clusters, which split on the tree to expose shiny red seeds from September to
February.
The Durban
Botanic Gardens are a few minutes' walk for the bustling Warwick Triangle site of one of
the largest retail medicinal plant markets in the country. The Erythrina lysistemon is
widely used for medicinal purposes, ranging from treating arthritis, rheumatism,
inflammation, toothache and earache. The tree is sometimes called the lucky bean tree and
seeds are also used for making necklaces and other ornaments. Traditionally, the tree has
also been planted on the graves of chiefs.
Many species
of birds and insects are attracted to the flowers of the coral tree.
Vervet
monkeys eat inflorescences in the bud and the soft wood attracts hole-nesting birds. The
Erythrina lysistemon is sensitive to severe cold but may be successfully grown in areas
where light frost occurs, provided it is in a sheltered corner.
Flowering is
at its best if the tree is kept dry during the winter months.
The
Erythrina lysistemon makes an attractive street tree with a stunning display when no other
trees are in flower. It also makes a spectacular garden tree, can be grown in a container
and if pruned often will take on a much-branched shape, giving a beautiful display of red
flowers on the grey leafless branches.
-----
Sustainability in Tshwane: a tale
of two cities?
Urban
Green File visits the capital to take a critical look at the state of sustainability in
the city on the Apies.
Managing the
capital city of a country is a major responsibility and the City of Tshwane Metropolitan
Municipality recently launched the Tshwane Integrated Environmental Policy (TIEP) to
assist in this regard. Engela Meyer takes a critical look at the state of sustainability
in the city on the Apies.
The last two
or three decades saw environmentalists, urban development practitioners, transportation
engineers, politicians, NGOs and communities expressing concerns over negative impacts in
and around cities. Rapid urbanisation in South Africa and, for that matter, across the
globe raise questions regarding the sustainability of our cities and, more specifically,
the ability of our cities to provide residents with opportunities for quality of life.
State of the city
A number of images can be associated with the Tshwane metropolitan area: the
Union Buildings, government activity, Jacaranda-lined streets, lush dormitory
neighbourhoods and people who enjoy an outdoor lifestyle. The City of Tshwane Metropolitan
Municipality came into existence on 5 December 2000, when 13 local authorities were
amalgamated and integrated to form one of six metropolitan municipalities in South Africa.
The metropolitan area is in excess of 3 200 km2, is home to approximately
2,2-million residents and serves as South Africa’s capital. The geographical
boundaries of the municipality include significant tracts of rural land, posing very
specific challenges to development and management. So are predictions of major increases
in Tshwane’s urban population within the next two decades.
According to
municipal documentation, the city has enjoyed above average economic growth of 5,1% during
the period 1996 to 2003. Exports have risen from approximately R6-billion to R22-billion,
with investors such as Ford Motor Company announcing Tshwane as the manufacturing source
for future export programmes. Although positive economic progress is evident, the Tshwane
metropolitan area displays the typical characteristics of a South African apartheid city,
a ‘dual city’ where a formal well-developed city co-exists with an extensive,
poorly developed peripheral settlement. Approximately 61% of Tshwane’s total
population is formally employed, 10% is informally employed and there is an unemployment
rate of approximately 29%.
What is a sustainable
city?
Sustainability enjoys widespread and somewhat unconditional support. The
concept has the capacity to span a wide range of political positions, and it might be the
very ambiguity of the term that makes it so attractive. Sustainability is qualitatively a
different policy goal to those that have traditionally characterised and directed
government and governance. Apart from the difficulties of definition, and therefore also
measurement, sustainability as policy deals in time horizons hitherto unimaginable –
certainly decades and probably centuries. Prof Mark Oranje of the University of Pretoria
appropriately asks: “Does sustainable development exist in reality, outside the
ever-expanding textual construct and the rhetoric? Can it really be described and measured
by making use of tools such as indicators, or is it essentially a political construct
– a societal good that we should strive for and try to live by?”
Be that as
it may, if a closer look is taken at the essence of urban sustainability, the concern is
about quality of life for residents and users of a city and maintaining that quality of
life over time. Sustainability is about a dream, about wanting to achieve certain things.
There are, subsequently, a number of approaches for measuring sustainability in the urban
environment, to see if we are heading in the right direction.
As a point
of departure for evaluating the City of Tshwane in terms of its sustainability, an
overview of a number of environmental indicators are provided. A discussion follows on
pressing development issues that have, or might have, a significant impact on sustainable
development in the capital city. Some are issues raised in the recently launched Tshwane
Integrated Environmental Policy (TIEP), others are issues present in all of South
Africa’s cities, and some are issues that the author picked up after living in and
studying the city for more than ten years.
State of the
environment
Water and sanitation
Rand Water and Magalies Water supply 87% of Tshwane’s bulk water. The
remainder of the city’s water is supplied by its own sources, including springs,
boreholes and the Rietvlei Dam. Current clean water initiatives include the establishment
of sensitive stormwater management mechanisms, such as wetlands and flood retention ponds,
and the ongoing monitoring of floodplains and water quality. A current point of concern
for the municipality is the approximate 13% of the annual water supply that is unaccounted
for, either due to water leakage or illegal water connections. Wastewater is discharged to
10 wastewater treatment works via 290 km of bulk outfall sewers. A number of areas within
this system have reached maximum capacity and will require upgrading in the near future.
Solid waste
34 community-based contractors have been appointed to provide waste
services. Landfilled waste amounts to approximately 2,2-million m3 annually. 11 landfill
sites and six garden refuse sites are currently in operation. The Tshwane approach to
recycling is directed towards waste minimisation initiatives, rather than active recycling
at landfill sites. Nevertheless, landfill buy-back centres that provide income-generating
opportunities, continue to grow. Of interest is that Tshwane has no long-term plans to
close landfill sites. Landfill is regarded as a safe waste management approach and Tshwane
has: “the perfect climate, geology and hydrology for sustainable landfilling”.
Noise
The entire city is currently being re-divided into noise zones in line with
an adopted noise management policy.
Air
The State of the Environment Report of 2002 indicates that pollutants which
appear to be most problematic in terms of air quality are those produced by industry (such
as sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides), those associated with road
transport (such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides), and those associated with smoke
and dust pollution. The main source of smoke pollution within the Tshwane area is
associated with the burning of coal and wood for cooking and heating purposes. Air
management strategies focuses on air quality control and GHG emissions control. Software
baseline data inventory programmes support 11 smoke and SO2 monitoring stations. Another
effort by the municipality is to increase the city’s capacity to purge and absorb
pollutants from the air through tree planting through their urban forestry policy. Since
establishing 10 000 trees in designated areas in 2003, a 0,6% reduction in carbon rates
has been recorded.
Conservation
The city protects at least 10 endangered species, 4 710 ha proclaimed
nature reserves, 2 102 ha conservation areas and 500
ha of natural open space. These areas encompass nine nature reserves, five bird
sanctuaries and 18 nature areas. There is a further 1 596 ha of developed parks, 6 919 ha
of undeveloped areas and 3 375 ha road reserves. The Urban Forestry Section is increasing
Tshwane’s tree canopy by 12 000 trees annually.
Planning and
managing for sustainable development
The
city’s development and growth is guided, planned, constructed and managed in
accordance with the City Development Strategy (CDS) and the Integrated Development Plan
(IDP). In terms of the green environment, the TIEP is envisaged to make a significant
difference. According to Janet Loubser, General Manager: Environmental Management within
the context of sustainable development, they are continuously working on expanding the
city’s environmental information database. The idea is to have data that is not only
descriptive, but guides decision-making and enable the municipality and other role-players
to do long-term risk analysis and management. Recent initiatives include the provision of
green guidelines for prospective developers and internal project managers. Guidance is
given in terms of how to design, implement and manage ‘green’ facilities and
minimise impacts associated with infrastructure and facility development.
As part of
the IDP, a Metropolitan Spatial Development Framework (MSDF) is drafted, setting out the
long-term growth of the city. The MSDF is closely linked to the Tshwane Open Space
Framework. The provision and management of open space is integral to the planning of
Tshwane. National policy guidelines promote densification, intensification and infill in
terms of land use. Increasing densities, especially in the inner city, has to be
accommodated in the open space framework, as people will be more reliant on public open
spaces. Tshwane is moving towards adhering to international standard ratios in the
provision of open spaces, and is currently making provision for the following categories
of open space:
*
Open space aimed at
place making (green and brown developments)
*
Open space aimed at
socio-economic use (e.g. parks, sport facilities)
*
Open space aimed at
ecological use (e.g. wetlands, ridges, conservation areas)
In 2004 the
City of Tshwane received a Gold Award in the International Liveable Communities (LivCom)
Competition, recognising and encouraging environmental managment of note. The presence of
NGOs and community groupings specifically dealing with environmental activities in the
City of Tshwane is quite localised, generally comprising of so-called “Friends”
groups and residential forums in previously disadvantaged areas. Adri Venter, Manager:
Environmental Resource Management in the City of Tshwane is of the opinion that there is a
lot of scope for development in this area. Residents and politicians alike can potentially
use the environmental ticket as leverage with very positive results. Currently, the
environment is handled by many as part of a beautification approach and does not involve a
real understanding of fundamental rights and long term implications that are intertwined
with the environment.
One of the
ideas promoted in the TIEP is that of self-regulation. Corporate entities are encouraged
to ensure compliance with environmental ideals through fiscal incentives and other
regulation measures. In addition, the metropolitan municipality attempts to set an example
by ensuring that their own activities are in line with international standards on
environmentally sound practices. Recent examples of ISO 14 000 accreditation are the
Tshwane Fresh Produce Market and the two power stations as well as quarries and depots.
Sprawling the city
As in most South African cities, one of the most disconcerting issues in terms
of Tshwane’s sustainability is the presence of urban sprawl. South Africa’s
legacy of segregated towns and cities combined with sweeping sub-urbanisation during the
late 1980s lead to harmful tides of sprawl. The concept of urban sprawl has taken on an
ill-defined, amorphous character and in planning and development circles references range
from “everything that is bad about urban growth” and “you’ll know it
when you see it”. However, it can be gathered that the term is used to indicate the
following:
*
Development
characterised by low residential densities;
*
Separation of land
uses and the creation of mono-use, sterile environments;
*
Leapfrog development,
directing development away from city centres;
*
Automobile dependant
development and environments not conducive to public transport; and
*
Development at the
periphery of an urban area at the expense of its core.
It is
regarded as a major contributor to air pollution and traffic congestion and it encourages
development on prime agricultural land and floodplains. Some commentators even discuss the
monetary implications of sprawl, calculating costs of infrastructure, fuel, time spent
travelling and the like.
The response
to these developments from the side of local government has been ambiguous. For example,
Menlyn Park and the recently developed Woodlands Mall, while boosting property investment,
seems to be in conflict with municipal policies to rejuvenate inner city areas. However,
Tshwane’s Liana Strydom says that the inner city is “considered to fulfill a
specific function, very much related to its role as centre of governance. Other
metropolitan nodes do have a positive role and function to fulfil in the urban fabric, and
are not necessarily considered to be in competition with the inner city”.
Informal activities
Another trend found in typical South African cities is rapid informalisation,
and a growth in casual employment. Urban commentator Mike Davis argues that often those in
the informal sector do not work for themselves, but are employed by others, which has been
described as a form of micro-exploitation of the poor by the poor in the absence of
protection by labour laws and standards. Street vendors are a common sight on the
pavements, at the train stations and even at the traffic lights in Tshwane. These
activities are difficult to predict and to monitor and management would require innovative
approaches from the City of Tshwane.
Informalisation
is not restricted to economic activity. As is the case in the cities of other developing
countries, squatter camps are increasingly becoming the norm, at least for the large
number of recently urbanised poor. Tshwane is no exception, with major informal activities
taking place all over the city. Olievenhoutbosch has seen extensive development and
intervention over the past few years and of course the areas towards the north, namely
Hammanskraal, Temba, Winterveldt and Soshanguve remain a challenge as being areas where
formal and informal exist in very close proximity to each other.
Public transport
As all of these issues affecting sustainability are interlinked, marginalised
communities not only end up with the longest travelling distances to urban opportunities,
but are also left with few transportation alternatives due to the ineffective South
African public transport system. The dualistic nature of the South African city has been
described as “Islands of Spatial Affluence in a Sea of Geographical Misery”.
This situation tends to not only aggravate the already high levels of poverty,
unemployment, social inequality and polarisation, but also fails to create the conditions
for a viable, efficient and accessible public transport system to emerge, according to
well-known South African urban theorist, Dave Dewar.
Having such
a vast rural area (including the former KwaNdebele) functionally depending on the City of
Tshwane, efficient linkages and transport facilities are crucial in the drive for quality
of life. In attempting to restructure urban areas, reduce travel distances, time and costs
and improve the sustainability of our cities, the Gauteng Rapid Rail Link will hopefully
illustrate that public transport is not an end in itself, but a tool. Premier
Shilowa’s vision of an integrated and well-planned Gauteng metropolitan region is
dependent on the implementation and use of an efficient public transport system.
Good fences make good
neighbours?
World-renowned urban economist Saskia Sassen describes a “new geography of
centres and margins” that has emerged, not only on a global scale, but also in the
space economy of metropolitan areas. In these metropoles decentralised centres (sometimes
referred to as edge cities) of a wide variety of sizes and functions formed. In addition
to this, most developing countries are not only experiencing massive movements towards
urban areas, but also an urbanisation of poverty. It has been stated that 95% of the
800-million who moved to cities in the 1990s did so in developing countries. This
phenomenon, which has been described by Oranje as a process by which cities, instead of
being “a focus for growth and prosperity”, become “…a dumping ground
for a surplus population working in unskilled, unprotected and low-wage informal service
industries and trade”, has been on the rise.
The other
side of the coin in Tshwane is the affluent lifestyles of a smaller proportion of its
residents. Increasing affluence and a lifestyle choice for suburban and exurban living,
combined with extreme security measures pose a major challenge to the Tshwane Metropolitan
Municipality in terms of managing land use, upholding basic human rights and eradicating
inequality.
The perils of
prediction
True to the ambiguous nature of the sustainability concept, all of the issues
that were listed and discussed of course have counter arguments. We cannot predict the
future of South Africa’s capital city, but in terms of the sustainability goals set,
they have clarity in terms of the quality of life that is to be offered to residents and
visitors. It is a classic conundrum-like set-up where, in order to achieve quality of life
for residents, investment has to be attracted and in order to attract investment one have
to showcase quality of life (or at least the potential for that) of residents. A number of
special projects (some of them part of the Blue IQ initiative of Gauteng Province) such as
Freedom Park, the Innovation Hub and the Nelson Mandela Development Corridor could
potentially play an important role in setting the scene for a more integrated approach to
development, and have the additional role of attracting investment.
Government
is in the process of developing an Urban Development Strategy, which builds on the Urban
Development Framework of 1997. It is still being discussed, and not yet available for
public comment. The working document acknowledges the vital importance of primary and
secondary cities and large towns for the national and continental economy, as well as for
rural livelihoods. The vision it has for South African towns and cities is that they will
become places that will be:
*
Well-governed by
representative leaders who support the participative involvement of people in development
processes;
*
Centres of high
quality economic opportunities for all;
*
Spatially and socially
inclusive, free of discrimination and segregation; and
*
Well-designed and
developed in an environmentally efficient way.
As capital
of South Africa the City of Tshwane needs to set an example in this regard. The metro
municipality has in place measures to deal with environmental management, but if an
integrated approach is not followed for dealing with the very tricky issues of sprawl,
informal activity, public transport and poverty, this leading role that is envisaged will
not become a reality.
The City of
Tshwane’s Vision:
The leading international African capital city of excellence that empowers the
community to prosper in a safe and healthy environment.
The City of
Tshwane’s Mission:
To enhance the quality of life of all people in the City of Tshwane through a
developmental system of local government and by rendering efficient, effective and
affordable services.
-----
Space and time for celebration
The
Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication in Kliptown, Soweto, was recently officially opened.
“People
were declaring openly that political rights could be available to all regardless of age,
colour, sex, wealth or education. The joy that was there was as if a baby had just been
born.” – Rev Meebesi Xunda, 1955.
The Walter
Sisulu Square of Dedication in Kliptown, Soweto, was recently opened officially. The
square is designed to celebrate the historical significance of the site, while serving as
a catalyst for development in the area. Engela Meyer visited the square and spoke to the
project architect and the project manager.
On June 26
this year, the official opening of the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication attracted 20 000
people to the celebrations in Kliptown, Soweto. The opening of the square coincided with
the celebrations of the Freedom Charter, which first set out South Africa’s
democratic Constitution. Kliptown became famous in 1955 when thousands of delegates of the
Congress of the People (a coalition of anti-apartheid organisations) converged on the
square to agree on a draft Freedom Charter, drawn up from contributions from around South
Africa. The final draft was read out to delegates in a two-day meeting.
In 1997, the
square (then known as Freedom Square) was declared a national monument and in June 2002,
architects and urban designers from across the world were invited to submit ideas and
conceptual proposals to celebrate and commemorate the events of June 1955, to be completed
for the 50th anniversary in 2005. The square is now dedicated to the struggle hero and
African National Congress stalwart, the late Walter Sisulu who had a secret office in
Kliptown to hide from the apartheid regime. The celebrations of June 26 were attended by,
among others, South African President Thabo Mbeki, former President Nelson Mandela, Ms
Albertina Sisulu, wife of the late struggle hero Walter, and Gauteng Premier Mbhazima
Shilowa.
Development in Kliptown
Established
in 1903, Kliptown is the oldest suburb in Soweto. According to Neil Fraser the area was
the recipient of people displaced when the so-called “coolie location”, in what
was to become Newtown, was burnt to the ground to prevent the spread of plague. It was
initially established as a tented camp, and was divided into three areas that respectively
housed black, Indian and coloured people. Kliptown has always retained a certain level of
multi-culturalism. Over the next few decades, brick houses and shacks replaced the tents.
Fraser observes that these houses were quite distinctive, characterised by wide verandas
with their roofs supported on brick columns. Kliptown was one of the first townships,
along with Sophiatown and Alexandra, in which black people could own property.
As with many
other previously disadvantaged townships in South Africa, Kliptown experiences a lack of
services, especially water, sanitation and waste management, in its 11 informal
settlements. The area is not properly integrated with the rest of Johannesburg’s
economy and unemployment is widespread. The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) is
involved in the development of Kliptown through a project funded by Blue IQ. The purpose
of the Kliptown project is to redevelop the traditional apartheid-style buffer zone
township into a desirable and prosperous residential and commercial locality, using its
historical significance and tourism potential as the tools for transformation. According
to Aubrey Manganye, project leader, the aim of the project is to improve the quality of
life for people in the area by rehabilitating the river, upgrading infrastructure and
housing and improving transport. It will generate economic activity in the area, primarily
by developing a heritage tourism attraction centred on the Walter Sisulu Square of
Dedication. The financial commitment from Blue IQ is R299-million, which is supplemented
by funding for specific projects by other agencies such as the City of Johannesburg, the
national Department of Environment and Tourism and the Gauteng Department of Agriculture,
Conservation and Environment.
The Kliptown
project comprises seven main strategic components:
*
Environmental upgrade
through, among others, maximising recreational open space along the Klipspruit and putting
in place measures to curb pollution.
*
Economic development
through creating jobs, building capacity, promoting the growth of SMMEs, advancing BEE,
and stimulating retail and general commercial growth.
*
Heritage education and
tourism development through the concept of an open-air museum, which includes the Walter
Sisulu Square of Dedication. The importance of the site should be emphasised by creating a
space that will allow public gatherings, exhibitions and educational activities and
attract tourists. Five nodes support this component of the project.
*
Transport and
infrastructure development through upgrading of existing facilities and systems, as well
as provision of bulk infrastructure.
*
Creating sustainable
neighbourhoods through higher density social housing programmes and project-linked
subsidies, together with social services such as clinics, libraries, schools, and sport
and recreation facilities.
*
Social development
through a consultation-developed Social Development Framework comprising career guidance,
computer literacy, HIV/Aids awareness, mobile clinics and legal advice clinics.
*
Improving
institutional arrangements through an overall management strategy, which will ensure that
all of the facilities and activities and the delivery of services are properly managed for
now and for years to come.
Designing an urban
square
StudioMAS Architecture and Urban Design (with Pierre Swanepoel, Justin Snell,
Precious Makwe and Brian Dunstan) won the 2002 competition and suggested that the creation
of a public square will provide significant opportunities for large-scale urban renewal in
the heart of Soweto. According to Precious Makwe, the idea was to make a bold statement
that will serve as a catalyst for other things to happen. The vision for the Walter Sisulu
Square of dedication is to celebrate and commemorate the birth of a democratic South
Africa by embodying the ideals and principles of the Freedom Charter. Giving tangible
expression to the aims of the Congress of the People resulted in a Design Charter with
nine principles. These principles also form the backbone of the Kliptown Urban Development
Framework as an attempt to support a single development and design narrative, thereby
ensuring integration in the urban fabric. Construction by Grinaker-LTA started in April
2003 and, although the official opening has already taken place, it is envisaged that
final completion will only be around September 2005. The nine principles guided the
development and the different structures/components of the design are discussed in the
context of these principles.
Equality
Equality is the central guiding principle of democracy and the core ideal
embraced by the design. Equality denotes a wide range of meanings, including: equal
rights, equality under the law, equal distribution, equilibrium, balance and equitable
access to opportunities. At its most fundamental level, it is the principle of equality
that informs the various aspects of the design. From the disposition and interrelationship
of the buildings surrounding the square, to the access to opportunity that the building
process afforded through employing local labour.
Accessibility
A key objective of apartheid planners and architects was to limit the movement
between areas of different race and culture. Limited access to and from the various areas
in Soweto hampered economic development in Kliptown. The first objective of the project
was to encourage and open-up the movement routes and, in turn, encourage business
development along the patterns of movement, establishing Kliptown as an accessible town
centre to the greater area of Soweto.
As a public
open space, the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication provides access and freedom of
movement. Two squares make up the design, one representing the old apartheid South Africa,
the other the new, democratic South Africa. The lower western half of the site was the
original spot of the 1955 meeting. The paving is done in a white grid on black stone
symbolising colonialism and apartheid. In the upper half of the square, the grid
transforms into nine squares, symbolic of the nine provinces of South Africa.
Robustness
A robust environment offers a variety of choices, creating potential for future
financial growth and the changing needs of the local community. Robustness is a
fundamental principle in the design of the square and implies (1) that the design of the
square and its buildings must be of an adaptable nature and (2) that materials used should
be durable to last under conditions of heavy usage. Robust environments are durable,
adaptable and respond to the present and future demands of both patrons and users by
allowing for ease of intervention and flexibility while still maintaining quality. Robust
environments are thus ultimately sustainable environments.
The building
located on the southern edge of the square incorporates a trade area for hawkers. The
structure has been designed as a colonnaded market for informal traders on the site of the
old ‘forest’ of eucalyptus trees along Union Road. The principle of robustness
is supported, as these spaces can potentially be adapted to specific uses.
History
Kliptown is the birthplace of South African democracy. It is also a place with
its identity and historic roots located in intense commercial activity. The square and
precinct commemorates the heritage value of Kliptown. Central in the square is the Freedom
Charter Monument, a conical-shaped structure that contains an engraved replica of the
Freedom Charter and the Flame of Freedom. Pierre Swanepoel says the conical shape was
chosen, as it is a “universal form” used in, among others, the towers in the
Great Zimbabwe ruins, Native American tents and traditional African fishing baskets. An
X-shape, the “mark of freedom”, is cut into the roof of the tower.
In addition
to celebrating history through memorials and monuments, the design of the Walter Sisulu
Square of Dedication also attempted to incorporate existing and historical phenomena such
as an old pedestrian route traversing the western part of the square. Another
acknowledgement of history is the fact that, although a number of uses had been added to
the site, the original functions of a place of trading and a place for public gathering
were retained.
Vitality
A central aim of the project is to create an environment, which generates
economic opportunities, stimulates emerging entrepreneurs, facilitates commercial activity
and produces fundamental improvements in the quality of life of the impoverished local
community. Vitality is the quality a place has that is lively and offers local people an
opportunity to make a living where they live. The idea is to increase the economic choices
and offer the patrons of Kliptown an increased choice of services and goods without
destroying the current socio-economic vitality of the place. The design attempts to also
offer the end user a choice of experiences. You might choose to go to Kliptown to buy
goods or to render or receive services; you might also choose to go to Kliptown as a
tourist, to enjoy a meal.
Choice is
provided through a number of functions/services offered in the buildings along the
northern and southern borders of the square. In addition to the space for hawkers provided
in the southern building, space is also allocated for a tourism centre and a tender is
currently out for the development of a hotel. The building along the northern edge of the
square houses conference facilities (where parliament held a sitting on the two days
following the opening of the square), space for a restaurant and more retail facilities.
ABSA and First National banks have committed themselves to occupying the mezzanine floor.
Identity
Kliptown seeks to explore the Soweto landscape and culture. It is the aim of
the square, with its surroundings, to create an environment with a strong architectural
and urban character and identity, a vibrant place of cultural and commercial activity. The
physical, cultural and historic built legacy and local traditions of Kliptown are
explored. One such example is the tower on the southern side of the square, which will
contain a place referred to as “kwashisanyama”, a Zulu word meaning “a
place to prepare food”. It is envisaged that this will become an open, informal
restaurant.
Legibility
Legibility refers to the ease with which parts can be recognised and organised
into a coherent pattern. If a design is legible, it can be visually grasped as a related
pattern of recognisable symbols. A distinctive and legible environment not only offers
security, but also heightens the potential depth and intensity of human experience. The
square is intended to be a clearly identifiable and memorable public domain – a
landmark place of symbolic significance and a hub of commercial and cultural activity. The
eastern edge of the square is clearly demarcated with 10 vertical columns symbolising the
10 clauses of the Freedom Charter.
Symbolism
In dealing with the challenge of place making within the context of truly South
African architecture, identity, analogy and iconography obviously played a fundamental
role. Through the design, motifs and symbols of the square and its environs, the square
has a monumentality appropriate to the spirit and historic status of the meeting and the
document it celebrates. The architectural team expressed their deep intention for the
square, since it will also be a place of commercial activity, to be a living monument.
Ecology
Nature assisted in setting the unique identity of the area as well as some of
the physical limits of the community. Local climate, vegetation, views, rivers and ridges
once defined the specific qualities of every memorable place. Most modern urban
developments, especially South African townships, are victims to smog, negative impacts of
highways and polluted rivers and wetlands. The Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication claims
to be designed to re-establish the relationship between the natural environment and the
people of Kliptown.
One way in
which this is to be achieved is through the planting of indigenous trees. But, as the
square cannot achieve sustainability as an isolated development, the broader Kliptown
development initiative has to ensure that the whole precinct becomes more sustainable and
environmentally responsible.
The future
Driving into Kliptown, it still has the feeling of a dusty town. Pavements are
still used for the trading of food, clothes and the ever-present cages of white chickens.
At present, the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication is nothing more than a building site.
Construction will only be complete in a few months. But there is a vitality present, a
sense of hope and inspiration. Precious Makwe says that it has been a “humbling
experience” to be involved with a project of such significance.
According to
Makwe, they had some problems during construction. Involving local contractors proved to
be challenging and some plans and ideas, such as the collection of stones from the nine
provinces, had to be abandoned because of a lack of funding. The podium planned for the
western side of the square had to be postponed, also due to lack of funding.
The jury is
still out on whether the Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication will achieve what it set out
to do. In addition to the impressive architectural design, there are two aspects
strengthening the possibility of the vision for the square becoming a reality. The first
is the fact that the development of the square is not an isolated exercise, but that it
fits into the context of a bigger development framework for the whole area of Kliptown. A
further positive aspect is the robust and adaptable nature of the design. According to the
architects involved, the idea was to indicate a direction to be taken rather than a
destination.
-----
EcoSan meets Eco-design
Designers
are challenged to employ a more aesthetic approach to simple design endeavours.
Half of the
people worldwide lack access to proper water and sanitation facilities. Ecological
sanitation (or ecosan for short) is a paradigm based on a closed loop approach that
introduces the concept of sustainability to sanitation and water management. Fabiola
Garduño, a Mexican architect, has been involved in designing some of these facilities and
calls for a more aesthetic approach to simple design endeavours.
Eco-design
is understood as a “design process that considers the environmental impacts
associated with a product throughout its entire life. At the same time as reducing
environmental impacts, eco-design seeks to improve the aesthetic and functional aspects of
the product with due consideration to social and ethical needs”, according to
Alastair Fuad-Luke. Thoughtful designers of the 21st century are therefore urged to design
with sensitivity, integrity and compassion.
A typical
consumer from the developed ‘north’ consumes between 10 to 20 times the
resources than one from the developing ‘south’. 25% of the world’s
population of 6-billion people account for 80% of global energy use. A flush toilet,
currently understood by many as synonymous with development and social upliftment,
consumes up to 40% of clean water in a household. How can the designer community properly
respond to these issues both from a social and an environmental justice perspective?
Being ecolocially aware
As ecologically aware designers, great responsibility lies in helping people
develop or adopt low-impact lifestyles that can be coupled with earth restoration
strategies. Bearing in mind that destruction of life systems has direct linkages with the
ways of dealing with and handling of human waste, courses of action such as organic
farming, local production of goods, natural building methods, and harnessing renewable
energies, become major factors to inspire our work. The choice of location and
architecture of houses or other human settlements should consequently be based on sun and
wind exposure, use of rainfall, water storage and reuse, nutrient recycling, among other
ecological design principles.
The water
and nutrient/energy loops, such as food production activities, water treatment facilities,
recycling of waste and possible green business are all concepts that are geared towards
conservation or restoration of the environment. Both the industrialised and emergent
economy country professionals of these fields have great challenges to manifest such
projects at different scales, from urban to rural contexts, both in new and existing
settlements. It has been proven that establishing small pilot projects has a huge effect
on the local-regional land. Likewise, adopting measures of proper natural resource
management helps people appreciate biodiversity of their region and realise the importance
of strengthening the relation between human beings and nature, of taking concrete measures
to restore and protect the earth. If we really want to balance modern requirements and
lifestyles, while at the same time work towards recognising the interconnectedness with
all of life, this attitude should permeate our designs and constructions.
EcoSan: closing the
loop
The basic principle of ecological sanitation is to close the nutrient loop
between sanitation and agriculture. In other words, ecosan can be understood as
recycling-oriented resource management. By way of recognising wastewater, organic waste
and human excreta as resources that can be reused with adequate treatment, ecosan has the
main objectives of:
*
reducing the health
risks related to sanitation, contaminated water and waste;
*
improving the quality
of surface and groundwater;
*
improving soil
fertility; and
*
optimising the
management of nutrients and water resources.
Therefore,
ecosan systems protect the natural environment while, at the same time, managing the
hygienic aspects of the population. In addition, water supply also forms part of the
ecosan equation, and rainwater harvesting coupled with simple low-tech filtering systems
(and proper holding tanks) have been put into practice with no risk for human use. More
often than not, ecosan promotes source separation so that “waste” can be
transformed into resources. By separately collecting, dehydrating and treating faeces,
storing and applying urine as a fertilizer, and reusing grey water (that has been
previously treated through biological or physical treatment, such as reed bed systems),
ecosan technologies thoroughly support on-site management of outflows, thus reducing
infrastructure costs considerably.
Hence,
ecosan demands for interdisciplinary approaches, and the professional fields that merge
into its implementation vary greatly, including water managers, ecological and civil
engineers, architects, urban planners, social workers, forestry and agriculture
specialists, politicians and public service providers and researchers. Although most
efforts to implement ecosan projects have been in the rural sphere, many beautiful
examples of contemporary solutions across continents prove that ecosan solutions also
address urban requirements in a participatory manner. Despite geographical and economic
conditions, the practical implications of this emergent field have huge potential for
existing and future generations. If, as individuals and as multicultural societies, we
fully recognise the value of clean water as a resource, it will no longer be even
considered as a medium to transport waste.
Architecture meets the
EcoSan challenge
By incorporating the existing ecosan model into the field of ecological
architecture, groundwork is being set for developing new sanitation models, products and
methods for low-impact constructions, human settlements and regional development projects.
Understood this way, architecture intends to respond to an existing set of conditions of
human needs, which may be understood as dignified shelter, food and health security. But
in order to make ecosan happen, it needs willing people and a place, which, by definition,
takes shape through architecture. The relationship to the place should ideally be
understood in terms of the bioregion in which it is inscribed. Along these lines,
‘green’ architecture should ideally adopt ecosan technologies, since both
practices respond to, and blend with, the ecosystem, supporting life and health.
The natural
architecture movement, which entails the strengthening of self-building actions, together
with the application of efficient, appropriate technologies and ecological building
methods, makes a perfect match with ecosan. As water consumption and use patterns in
households or within the community are directly related to its availability, the
infrastructure to provide for these services should ideally be designed accordingly. In
this sense, all of the water and sanitation installation requirements of a building can be
met with ecosan systems put in place. The growth of urban settlements demands a more
efficient and sustainable use of resources, making the ecosan system one of the most
appropriate and holistic solutions to contribute to the reduction of the environmental
impact of human settlement.
Above and
beyond, ecosan technologies hold a special value, as they truly create a sense of
independency from public services, including supply of potable water and sewerage
provision. Considering that the public infrastructure of developing countries is sometimes
quite basic or nonexistent, people are often forced to provide in their own needs.
Fortunately,
it is through the application of ecosan systems in smaller contexts that the big impact is
gradually achieved, as is the case within a Latin American context, specifically within
experiences in the TepozEco Urban Ecological Sanitation Pilot Project in Tepoztlan,
Mexico.
A Mexican EcoSan
experience
The TepozEco Project is guided by a vision of offering aesthetic solutions for
sanitation requirements through responsive design catering for a variety of different
economic, social and environmental factors. Beauty as part of the ecosan equation is a
quality that opens up people’s attitudes towards the closed loop approach. The
current construction techniques applied involve: traditional stone foundation or concrete
slabs; cement and fired brick walls and lightweight or concrete roofing; use of woven
bamboo panels as movable walls; and the innovative pajareque self-building technique which
consists of a bamboo frame with a mix of mud soaked loose straw woven between them,
finished with nopal – prickly pear —earthen plaster finish. The most recent work
carried out in the mountain town of San Juan Tlacotenco is providing the setting for
pioneering the effort to implement an integrated ecosan model for a peri-urban community
by self-help building methods. With the committed community involvement, this process has
allowed the implementation of a replicable model for Latin American contexts.
Nevertheless,
working in an existing town poses great challenges in terms of the need to upgrade and
retrofit existing sanitation infrastructure. The continuous birth of irregular settlements
also demands the construction of entire new facilities. Local contexts of developing
nations often reflect enormous wealth disparities and low educational standards,
especially in terms of the environment, obviously making the under-served aspire to
increase their quality of life. Insecure or underpaid jobs inhibit families’ economic
welfare, which generate social conditions that demand solutions that can be adopted
easily. In this sense, the ecosan model applied so far in the Mexican context has proven
to be a potential solution to overcome sanitation requirements within such social
inequitable conditions.
The growing
recognition of the need for adequate development projects is highlighting on the actions
of both governments and local grassroots initiatives. With appropriate dissemination,
local communities are considering ecosan systems as viable solutions to their needs. The
reference point will hopefully become simply a dignified, beautiful and efficient
sanitation system.
Further
attention and research needs to be given to the architecture, urban planning and
development practices surrounding the ecosan system, in order to offer not only practical
and user-friendly ecological designs which can be adapted according to economic situations
and socio-cultural tastes, but also aesthetically pleasing and culturally acceptable
spaces, facilities and services that continue to respond to the ever growing demand
generated by the world’s water and sanitation crises.
Widespread application
Ecosan is often misinterpreted as being a sanitary solution restricted to use
in rural, grassroot, small scale projects with low-cost composting or urine separating
toilets being provided for local poor rural families of developing countries. Whilst a
majority of ecosan experiences do come from this rural context, it would be incorrect to
assume that ecosan is only applicable in this sector. Ecosan technologies have been
implemented successfully in Norway, Sweden, Malaysia, China, India, and several countries
of Africa and Latin America.
-----
Waste management on a new track
The
Knysna waste-by-rail system has been operating for six years – time for other cities
to get on the train?
Knysna
implemented a waste-by-rail system a few years ago. Could this be a way of solving other
towns’ waste management problems? Engela Meyer found out how the system is
functioning and whether it is delivering on its promises.
In line with
global trends, municipalities across South Africa are in the process of implementing
so-called integrated waste management plans and policies. There is a need to explore
options that suit specific local conditions and needs. To address this need, best
practices should be reported on. Knysna implemented the waste-by-rail concept a few years
back and it is an opportune time to use this municipality’s experience to identify
opportunities as well as potential pitfalls of such a system.
Background
In 1989, the then current waste disposal site in Knysna was closed down as it
posed a health threat to residents. A previously unused site was then re-opened on a
temporary basis while investigations were undertaken to find a new site. Consultants
identified and investigated a total of 21 possible sites, but none of the sites were found
suitable either geologically or by the community.
In 1994, the
District Council commissioned Ingérop Africa to investigate and identify a suitable
sub-regional site. After extensive investigations and public consultation, a report on the
various options was published and presented to the community. The options included
incineration and road and rail transport to George. The Knysna Council resolved to develop
the preferred local site, but there was still very stiff opposition from the adjoining
community, and by the end of 1996 the matter was still in abeyance.
During 1997,
Spoornet commissioned Ingérop Africa to investigate the planning and costing of a
regional waste by rail project for the Southern Cape District. The study assessed the
viability of moving waste by rail from the main generators in the region to the existing
landfill site at PetroSA. The study included investigating compaction and transfer
equipment and assessing the financial viability of the project. The results of the study
were presented to the local authorities in the region and in August 1997, the Knysna
Council made the decision to rail its waste to PetroSA. The project commenced at the
beginning of 1998, with an EIA scoping process and the project was officially opened on 4
March 1999.
The nature of the
system
According to Tony Gates, project manager of Ingérop Africa, the three main
components of the project are (1) the receiving and transfer system, (2) the
transportation by rail and (3) the off-loading and disposal.
The
receiving and transfer system includes a facility where the collection vehicles discharge
waste into a ground level conveyor system, which, in turn, feeds into a compactor. Waste
is compacted into 28 m3 containers. Once full, the containers (20 t when full)
are transported to PetroSA some 120 km to the west. The receiving facility is located in
an existing small freight yard alongside the upmarket waterfront development in the heart
of Knysna. The facility is operated and managed by the Knysna Municipality on behalf of
Spoornet. The location of the transfer station had to be decided on in accordance with
environmental legislation. Three alternative sites at existing rail sidings were proposed
through an extensive consultation process. Two of the sites were outside Knysna, while the
third was located at the Spoornet freight yard adjacent to the new waterfront development
on the lagoon edge in Knysna. The community’s preferred option was the waterfront
site. The transfer station is located in an existing facility used for loading timber,
which was somewhat restrictive in terms of space to manoeuvre, access for vehicles and the
area required for the compactor. The operation of the station ensures that solid waste is
exposed to the atmosphere for only a very short time, before it is sealed into a
container. There is, therefore, little likelihood of odours or pests becoming a nuisance.
There is, however, an odour control system in place. This transfer station was the first
to be licensed with the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) and the process
and requirements have set a precedent for future transfer stations.
Transportation
by rail entails an average of two containers removed daily from the transfer station
during the year. During the holiday season, this can increase to up to six containers a
day. The container trucks are taken to Mossel Bay via George. They are then shunted out to
the siding at PetroSA. Standard rail trucks were converted to accommodate the specially
developed loading and handling equipment. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) along
the route was undertaken by Spoornet to identify any significant impacts that the system
may have, particularly as the section between George and Knysna is a well-known scenic
route.
Off-loading
and disposal takes place at the large PetroSA landfill. The landfill is DWAF-licensed and
serves PetroSA and the town of Mossel Bay.
Similar South African
operations
The Knysna project was the Spoornet waste-by-rail business unit’s first
project for containerised waste. They had previously been involved in a bale and rail
project in Cape Town, which has subsequently been upgraded to a containerised system. The
Athlone Transfer Station rails an average of 800 to 900 t/day to the Vissershok landfill.
Cape Town’s Swartklip transfer station is designed for rail, but currently containers
are transported by road, as there is no rail link. A proposed new regional landfill for
Cape Town is expected to be located some distance from Cape Town and it is anticipated
that a large portion of its waste will be transported by rail in the future. According to
André Petersen of Bitou Municipality, Knysna’s neighbouring town of Plettenberg Bay
is also currently facing challenges in terms of waste management and is considering a
waste-by-rail option to the PetroSA landfill site.
In retrospect
Tony Gates is of the opinion that South Africa’s first system to move
containerised waste by rail the Knysna system has proved to be a success and set the
standard for similar systems. Waste management in the region has been improved
significantly; the receiving facilities in Knysna are compact and very inconspicuous and
the community has benefited from a more environmentally sustainable system.
Although it
is predominantly a rail system, it is, in fact, an intermodal system as was illustrated
during heavy rains experienced in Knysna during December 2004, which resulted in the
railway line being washed away. Road transport was immediately put into operation in
accordance with the environmental Response Action Plan, and waste was removed daily until
the rail had been repaired.
According to
John Jaftha of the Knysna Municipality, one of the problems encountered after closing
their only landfill was dealing with waste types such as garden waste and builders’
rubble, as these are expensive to put through a transfer system. Local drop-off sites for
garden waste and builders rubble had to be established.
Gates says
that it is unfortunate that waste is immediately containerised and removed once collected.
The constraints of the Knysna site did not allow for a more integrated facility to be
provided. The neighbouring George Municipality has, for example, just commissioned a new
transfer station with a ‘materials recovery facility’ integrated into the
system. The operator will be required to divert a certain percentage of waste on an
on-going basis. This will result in a reduction in the amount of waste to be transported
and disposed of, with an accompanying significant cost saving.
The future
The Knysna system has the capacity to handle projected population growth in the
area for, at least, the next 30 years. With effective waste minimisation programmes in
place the system can even have a longer lifespan. According to Tony Gates there are
technically no real constraints to the system, as more containers can be made available as
waste increases, the compaction equipment can be upgraded for increased throughput, more
modified rail trucks can be provided and the offloading and disposal facilities at PetroSA
can be expanded. The main constraint is the operating logistics such as operating times of
the transfer station and the landfill and availability of train services.
In response
to the question whether it is not a case of shifting the problem (from Knysna to Mossel
Bay), Gates argues that landfilling is still the most cost effective way of treating waste
in South Africa. Fortunately, the PetroSA landfill is a large and well-managed permitted
site with ample airspace. A very serious waste problem, which had started to have major
social and environmental impacts for Knysna, had been resolved in an innovative and
environmentally sound way.
Potentials and pitfalls
One of the positive spin-offs of the project is that there is a far greater
emphasis on recycling of waste. The Knysna Municipality, who operates a two-bag municipal
refuse system has spearheaded this drive. Green plastic bags are provided free of charge,
in which all recyclable materials should be placed. Knysna has subsequently become one of
South Africa’s leading recycling settlements.
Another
positive development is that the importance of regional planning and integration is
emphasised through the implementation of this project. Should Bitou Municipality decide on
implementing a similar system, the compaction will probably take place in Knysna before
being railed to the PetroSA site, thereby avoiding the duplication of building a similar
facility in Plettenberg Bay. With proper long-range and regional planning and coordination
future development can be far better anticipated, accommodated and/or influenced. Grouping
and integrating the waste of various communities within the same region into a macro
regional landfill site has become a viable option.
The project
also shows that a waste-by-rail system can be viable for smaller towns, where some of the
major waste management problems occur. The main criteria element is to have easy access to
a rail system. For larger systems the logistics of efficiently transferring and moving a
large number of containers becomes complex. The one drawback probably is the cost of the
system compared to developing a local landfill. But, as the Knysna project has shown, it
is not always easy to find a suitable landfill site.
A point of
concern is that the waste-by-rail business unit of Spoornet has ceased to operate.
According to Willie Dunckley of Spoornet, the reason for this is that growth in the
business of waste-by-rail was too slow. The continuous funding of an allocated Spoornet
business unit depended on government establishing so-called regional or macro landfill
sites, which would have made it an economically viable endeavour for them. Dunckley says
that, although Spoornet will no longer take the initiative for waste-by-rail systems, they
are willing to support private sector and local government initiatives. Over the past few
years, Ingérop Africa has undertaken a number of waste transport studies for areas such
as Cape Town, George and East London and the economic analysis of the option of
waste-by-rail invariably showed it to be the most costly, due to excessively high rail
tariffs. Spoornet has to review it tariffs in order to be able to compete with road
transport.
The system
of transferring waste, whether by rail or other means must be seen as one component of an
effective integrated waste management system. A truly integrated plan will identify gaps
in the total system and provide solutions to address them. As always, a crucial challenge
is to interpret local contexts in a manner that is not clouded by vested interests. |
