Contents
of December 2006
COMMENT
An opportunity lost
LETTERS
Feedback from our readers
UPFRONT
News and events
CITY
VISIT
Heidelberg: development balance
ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND DESIGN
Soweto green by 2010?
WASTE AND POLLUTION MANAGEMENT
Contamination curbed
BATTLE OF THE ’BURBS
Pinelands v Joe Slovo
PLANNING PERSONALITY
Andrew Boraine on Cape Town’s
turnaround
INSPIRATION
The high life
INSULT
Trees make way for Gautrain
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COMMENT
An opportunity lost
Still fresh
in the memories of most South Africans is public transport month of October 2006.
Ministers and MECs talked about partnerships and new ways of doing things. On the
country’s busiest highway, the Ben Schoeman, the Gauteng Department of Public
Transport, Roads and Works – in cooperation with the South African National Roads
Agency Limited – launched a pilot project from October 23 to 27 by introducing a
high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane with a view to reducing massive congestion on the
highway.
From a town
planning and management point of view, I think that Urban Green File and its readers would
be the first group to support an efficient public transport system as it would ultimately
benefit our urban areas and improve quality of life. I am confident that we would also
agree that some compromises will be necessary to achieve a better outcome for all. What
is, however, a point of concern is the way in which the HOV initiative was handled.
Motorists were not informed beforehand about what would happen, when it was going to
happen and, most importantly, why it would happen!
Public
transport month is scheduled a long time ahead and, in this day and age, when everybody
knows that marketing and knowledge management is essential, it is surprising that
government waited until a week before its experiment to inform the ‘guinea
pigs’. The only thing that was achieved was that motorists were even more annoyed
than usual for having to sit in traffic. What could have been a bold and well-managed
effort to educate the broader public and get them to buy into the initiative, just made
motorists more negative than ever before.
SA transport statistics
*
50% of motorised
passenger trips are made on public transport and 50% using private transport
*
Most trips in peak
periods are to school (47%) and work (32%)
*
3/4 of public
transport users have an income of R1 600 or less per month
*
68% of households do
not own any cars
*
13% of households do
not generate peak period trips
*
40% of households do
not generate work trips
Source: Gauteng Province
-----
LETTERS
Parking lots: design matters
-
frustrated landscape architect
I read with
interest your article on ‘green parking’ in the October 2006 edition of Urban
Green File. While the article included some good suggestions on improving parking lots
through engineering interventions, such as stormwater management and temperature control,
it neglected the aesthetic aspect of design.
I am always
surprised that so little attention is given to parking lots at major attractions such as
shopping centres.
The fact is
that first (and last) impressions count. Arriving at a dim, grey mass of tarmac is hardly
inspiring for any potential shopper. Leaving the facility in a boiling hot car is even
worse!
Developers
often spend vast amounts of money on grand architecture and even impressive landscape
architecture yet parking lots are merely tarred.
If
you’re lucky, a small, non-irrigated tree will be positioned every 15 m!
Perhaps
developers should make use of the very capable design services available within various
landscape architectural practices in this country. Parking lots do not need to be ugly.
Creative use
of various kinds of paving (designed in attractive patterns), street furniture, trees,
plants and lighting can all make a vast difference.
-----
UPFRONT
Activity street
The Legong
Street planning initiative is now up and running as part of the Tsosoloso Programme,
launched earlier this year by the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.
The
programme calls for a new approach to city building. Monofunctional is out; extroverted,
multi-purpose structures are in. Cognisance must be taken of the existing pedestrian and
public transport needs, and designs should be based on this.
It focuses
on neglected areas that can benefit most from this type of revitalisation. It is an
inter-departmental project within the municipality.
Creative
solution
Pikitup, in
conjunction with local companies, UCG Recycling and Hippo Scrap Metal, now provides
residents of Johannesburg with 25 sites where ‘e-waste’ can be dumped for free.
South
Africans dispose between 10 000 t to 20 000 t of ewaste every year and this is predicted
to double within the next decade. Similar projects have been launched in Cape Town and are
set to spread to more metropolitan areas around the country.
Blaauwpan Dam
disaster
Government
has responded strongly to the spillage of aviation fuel into the Blaauwpan Dam on
Johannesburg’s ‘East Rand’ and authorities are working hard with the local
public to clean up the spill and to limit its impact on the environment. The cause of the
spill is yet unknown but there is pressure on top management of Airports Company South
Africa (ACSA) to explain what happened. Rumour has it that ACSA can be held liable as this
is not the first time incidents of this nature have occurred.
Meetings
between ACSA and concerned governmental institutions were held on November 9 2006 to
evaluate the clean-up process and to set up measures to prevent similar incidents in
future.
E-waste
disposal in Jo’burg
The
nationwide Urbanplaymobile competition has been won by Suhayl Ballim of Durban. Aimed at
promoting greater awareness and utilisation of public space in urban areas, entrants were
encouraged to design ‘roving event mechanisms’ that could be used as a
promotional platform to enhance cultural awareness in public areas.
Ballim came
up with iBala (‘play space’), which is a transport container loaded with
different modules that can be transformed into an interactive space for visiting guests.
-----
CITY VIST
Heidelberg: to balance development
Located
40 minutes from the centre of Johannesburg, the quaint town of Heidelberg is experiencing
development pressure and is struggling to find balance.
Heidelberg
has not been spared the general woes of ‘small town’ South Africa. Urban decay,
as well as unemployment and poverty, combined with insensitive government interventions
can potentially steer future growth into a ‘not-so-positive’ direction.
3 Development
challenges
Some challenges and solutions provide a glimpse of what makes the town
‘tick’
1. Lack of integration
Like many other South African towns, Heidelberg suffers a lack of structural
integration as one of the imminent challenges.
Forming part
of the Lesedi Local Municipality, Heidelberg is adjacent to one of the country’s
major routes, the N3, which is the main access linking Johannesburg and Durban. Other
important roads are the R42 to Vereeniging and Nigel, and the R23.
As with many
South African towns, Heidelberg has a lack of structural integration in that the former
black township of Ratanda is located towards the south of the town.
The R42 to
Vereeniging connects Heidelberg and Ratanda. Several new residential developments have
been proposed along this strip.
A lack of
high-density residential development supporting the commercial core has also been
identified as an issue to be addressed.
While it
seems that higher-density development is beginning to happen, the affected properties are
not necessarily close enough to the central business district (CBD) to encourage more
activity in this area. Should the urban boundary be extended in future to accommodate
additional residential development, the potential for sprawl around the town does exist
with smaller, isolated commercial nodes popping up to service the newer areas. And the
growing illegal use of land on surrounding farms for commercial purposes, particularly for
small transport businesses, could exacerbate the situation.
About two
years ago, the Heidelberg Kloof Nature Reserve was auctioned off and the new units are now
under construction.
A proposed
new development, covering two portions, has met with resistance from national government
for several years as it falls outside the Heidelberg urban boundary (although the local
municipality is in favour of it going ahead). Another cause for concern is integration.
As in many
other examples across the country, the existing low-cost housing developments do not
always contribute to quality of life.
Solutions
As a major step in addressing the challenge of spatial disjuncture, an
additional 6 000 government-sponsored housing units, in line with the Breaking New Ground
Strategy and similar in concept to Cosmo City, are planned for the area between Heidelberg
and Ratanda. This is in addition to developments in Ratanda and 3 000 low-income housing
units that have been developed over the past five years in Heidelberg Extension 23.
Space is
being set aside for residential densification and, according to council documentation, one
of the positive aspects of the system is that the Lesedi Local Municipality has a good
zoning policy and land use control mechanism in place.
“Most
recent development has been residential but we are hoping that this will create a need for
more retail and commercial amenities in the near future,” said Tshepo Malekane,
assistant town planner at Lesedi Local Municipality. “Residential stands are being
subdivided for development, mostly into two portions of around 500 m² but also for
higher-density developments along major roads, up to 25 units/ha.” High-income,
secure estates are also becoming popular.
Integration in practice
Heidelberg and nearby Ratanda have been subject to unexpected pressure for new
development designed to cater for the low-, medium- and highincome residential markets.
Proposed mixed-low and middle-income housing along the R42 promises to go a long way
towards addressing spatial disjuncture.
2. Urban decay
Probably Heidelberg’s most distinguishing characteristic is its
architectural heritage but this asset has not always been properly preserved and managed.
Heidelberg
was born as a single shop in 1861 when Heinrich Ueckermann bought part of the farm
Langlaagte and started a general dealer at the intersection of the main road between
Durban (then Port Natal) and Potchefstroom, and the main road between the Cape and
Pretoria.
In 1865,
Ueckermann appointed a surveyor for a town development, which he named after his alma
mater in Germany.
Developed as
a typical rural Victorian town, Heidelberg has many charming buildings dating back to the
period between 1890 and 1910. Many of these have been preserved or restored, and include
the old jail built in 1888 and first used as a hospital and home for the underprivileged;
the Klipkerk inaugurated in 1891; and the Heidelberg Motor Museum housed in the old
station building of 1895. The Triumvirate Monument by Hennie Potgieter and Town Hall,
designed by architect Gerhard Moerdijk and erected in 1939, are also landmark edifices in
the town centre.
These,
together with several smaller buildings and houses (many renovated for commercial use)
offer great architectural appeal and a strong sense of heritage to out-of-town visitors.
As
mentioned, some urban decay has set in and degeneration is evident in certain areas.
Especially in vacant or partially vacant buildings, it has become increasingly difficult
to preserve the architectural heritage.
In addition
to the challenges surrounding the built environment, the town of Heidelberg also lacks
developed parks and open spaces.
Some of
Heidelberg’s old houses are used for residential purposes while others have been
turned into businesses. Surprisingly few have been turned into guest houses and
restaurants, indicating that tourism has not really taken off.
Solutions
Heidelberg has great heritage value, and some serious issues, which detract
from this cultural value and adversely affect the town’s image, have been identified.
These include the lack of aesthetic policy and control, issues around safety and security,
and littering and pollution in and around the CBD. Some studies have been carried out to
investigate well-designed street scapes, including street lighting, to improve the spaces
between buildings.
And,
according to Gert Oelofse, town planner with the Lesedi Local Municipality, plans are
underway to establish an aesthetics committee to encourage developers to implement designs
that do not detract from the visual character of the town. However more will need to be
done from a policy point of view to address grime and crime.
The town
also suffers from a lack of developed parks and open spaces. A conservation area does
exist, running through the town centre as the Blesbokspruit, and this has been identified
as a potential ‘green lung’ for Heidelberg’s residents and visitors.
3. Economic decline
Economic decline is not a challenge that can be addressed overnight but
Heidelberg has some built-in assets that it plans to capitalise on.
The dominant
land use in Lesedi’s rural areas is agricultural, mainly the cultivation of maize,
wheat, soya, grain sorghum, dry beans, sunflower seeds and vegetables.
Other
farming types include dairy, beef, sheep and poultry. This agricultural activity is the
backbone of the local economy in Lesedi.
The other
significant contributor is manufacturing, dominated by a few large companies such as
British American Tobacco, Van Driel’s Steel Construction, Vamco Engineering and
Eskort. The rest of the manufacturing activity constitutes small operations geared towards
servicing the local market.
According to
Malekane, the population of Heidelberg/Ratanda is around 150 000.
These local
residents are serviced by three small shopping centres: the Victorian Shopping Centre, the
Spar Centre, and the Shoprite Centre as well as a number of privately-owned retail
businesses. However, due to the town’s proximity to Johannesburg, the local
businesses are increasingly competing with regional shopping centres such as the East Rand
Mall.
Another
challenge is the manner in which the informal economy and the formal economy are to be
accommodated within town. The lack of space for informal trade means that pavements in the
CBD are frequently congested with informal stalls while established retail centres are
surrounded by large, fenced parking lots.
Herein lies
potential to integrate the different types of trade into a far more integrated use of
space and thus create a vibrant retail environment.
Heidelberg,
like most South African urban centres, is afflicted by poverty, unemployment and crime.
However the town has some built-in assets that the Lesedi Local Municipality plans to
capitalise on in order to stimulate the economy.
Solutions
Tourism, in particular, plays a major part in the town’s economic
development strategy.
In close
proximity to the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve and Alice Glockner Nature Reserve,
Heidelberg
offers many attractions to nature lovers, and environmental conservation is a municipal
priority. In addition, local cultural and township tourism is encouraged, and the town
offers a number of restaurants, pubs, arts and crafts, and even facilities for conferences
and events.
The recent
and unexpected demand for mid-high income residential properties, together with the
ever-present need for housing, has prompted local government to create an environment that
will encourage investment.
As far as
industry is concerned, land has been set aside for two new industrial development areas.
One of these is adjacent to the existing British American Tobacco property and next to the
railway line, and the other is a 20 ha area adjacent to the Heidelberg/Nigel off-ramp,
visible from the N3. A fairly significant area in and around the CBD has also been
earmarked for rezoning as business rights although development at the moment is generally
restricted to renovating old buildings with heritage value for commercial use.
The future?
The right decisions and action at the right time could mean a bright and
positive future for the town of Heidelberg.
While there
is certainly potential for development in Heidelberg, it will have to be monitored and
carried out in a way that does not adversely affect the town’s charm and ultimately
lead to the disappearance of the natural and man-made assets residents and visitors find
so appealing. At this point in time, there seems to be wisdom in maintaining the urban
boundary and limiting development to available areas within the town, focusing on
addressing existing urban issues and promoting the cultural and natural assets that make
Heidelberg so very identifiable.
However
Heidelberg faces a number of challenges that will have to be addressed from an urban
planning point of view in order to simulate investor interest. The recent urban
development study, which included public meetings for comment, seeks to do just that.
A plan for Heidelberg’s CBD
The development concept clearly shows major commercial (red) and institutional (blue) axes
supported by residential cells (yellow). The proposed open space network of nodes could
also potentially link the new open space in town with the existing tourism nodes (green)
adjacent to the town.
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ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING AND DESIGN
Soweto green by 2010?
The
‘greening of Soweto’ began seven or eight years ago and is now being
fast-tracked for completion by 2010.
Park
development in traditional South African townships was sadly neglected in years gone by.
In Johannesburg, this falls to Johannesburg City Parks to sort out. The greater
Johannesburg metro saw a total of 28 new parks being created in 2005 with a further 46
upgraded. The greater Soweto area has received particular attention.
Today there
are a number of park developments in and around Soweto – seven regional parks and a
larger number of smaller community parks. There is also a concerted effort underway to
expedite tree planting across Soweto. Between 85 000 and 100 000 trees are set to be
planted between 2005 and 2010. Of these, 30 000 must be indigenous street trees.
Major access
roads have been prioritized followed by secondary routes.
In September
2006, to commemorate Arbor Day, a record-breaking 6 000 street trees were planted across
Soweto.
As testimony
to this commitment, the City of Johannesburg has budgeted R7,6-million for the 2006/7
financial year towards the Greening Soweto Legacy project.
Regional parks
So what differentiates a regional park from a community park? Quite simply, the
size.
The first regional park in Soweto was Thokoza Park and the adjacent extended
Moroka Dam Wetlands. Completed in August 2002, this development set the bar high for
projects that followed. Each of the regional parks was developed in consultation with the
community and the appointed landscape architects. Many of these projects were run with the
blessing of local councillors and the mayor of Johannesburg and, most importantly, buy-in
from the local residents. It is the function of the landscape architect to establish best
land use by studying natural flow through areas to ensure balance and integration with the
surroundings. The result: parks and open spaces that ‘work’. What is evident in
the overview of some of these regional parks is that each has a distinct character, partly
due to the area, partly to the design and partly to the budget.
1 A park with landmarks
– Mofolo Park
Location: Mofolo Central, next to Dube Village
Special attractions: Amphitheatre/cultural bowl
Improvements to Mofolo Park have included the paving of the main walkway from
the parking area to the amphitheatre and removal of trees, which did not grow in the beds
provided. City Parks horticulturalist Charles Makgoba will supervise alternative
plantings. Makgoba was one of the first black horticulturalists in South Africa during the
‘70s.
Preventing
vehicular access to the grassy areas remains a general problem in all the parks. Compared
to the other parks, Mofolo feels exposed.
While the
use of bollards, boulders and railings are intended to keep vehicles ‘off the
grass’, these fixtures are removed by members of the public so that cars can drive
wherever they like.
Distinctive
concrete structures mark the entrance and various amenities dotted throughout the park.
One of the most striking features is a row of statues around the dam seating and
amphitheatre areas.
2 Face lift for an old
‘lady’
– Dorothy Nyembe Park
Location: Dobsonville
Special attractions: Bird hide, environmental centre, succulent and herb garden, dam for
boating activities.
A 3,5 ha
park, this is one of the oldest parks in Soweto. It dates back to 1971 and was formerly
known as a National Environmental Awareness Campaign park.
Now, after a
‘face lift’, it is one of the few parks to have lighting and ablutions.
This park
extends all the way to Kliptown and is bordered by Meadowlands and Dobsonville. It has an
inviting feel as it undulates almost as far as the eye can see. Playground equipment is so
well utilised that it has required higher-than-expected maintenance.
There are
four litter traps in the stream running through this park. The traps are necessary but
maintenance is awkward and time-consuming as it has to be done manually.
The
proximity of Mapetla Park to a nearby school played a significant role in the design and
provision of sporting facilities. The school utilises the courts and fields as well as the
playground equipment for outdoor activities.
3 Support for local
school
– Mapetla Park
Location: Chiawelo
Special attractions: Wetlands, proposed environmental centre, multi-purpose
sports arena and netball court.
The soil at
Mapetla Park is very clayey, which increases the retention of groundwater. Bridges over
the stream for safe crossing are a striking aspect of the park. The erosion of soil on the
stream embankments, caused by heavy rains that swell the volume of water, should be
alleviated when Phase 2 of this park has been completed, including the upgrading and
maintenance of the wetlands towards the railway line.
Attention
needs to be paid to this wetland in the next phase of the project. This park certainly
seems to be as advertised: a ‘safe, sustainable environment’. Of all the parks,
this one has energy, a sense of a place where young people especially enjoy time outdoors.
Newtown Landscape Architects (NLA) was the design consultant in this project.
4 Beauty for a
neglected community
– Orange Farm Regional Park
Location: Orange Farm
Special attractions: Sports facilities, play area, garden of remembrance
The Orange
Farm Regional Park was developed in two phases: Phase 1 entailed the development of erf
4424, an area of approximately 4 ha, and was completed in August 2005. Erf 4425 was
developed in the second phase (scheduled for completion in August 2006) of the project and
covers an area of about 2 ha.
Before work
began on the Orange Farm park, the site was strewn with litter and there was a clinic in
its south-western corner. Now it benefits, among others, numerous school children with a
play area and sports facilities. Although it was challenging to co-ordinate the activities
of various Johannesburg Metropolitan Council departments and utilities in the project,
according to Daan Eksteen of Green Inc Landscape Architects, the councilor for the area
was involved in both phases, which helped achieve buy-in from the local community.
Authorities
are still negotiating with an illegal squatter on the site set to be developed for parking
in the third phase of the project.
Attention to amenities
Ablution facilities, playground equipment, litter traps, park furniture and
tree maintenance were important considerations in the development of all the Soweto parks.
Ablution facilities
The issue of providing ablutions is somewhat contentious. At Dorothy Nyembe
Park, there has been experimentation with ablutions, including an ‘open-air’
experience, which never really took off.Vandalism is also an ever-present concern and has
led to many parks not offering ablutions at all. Ablution facilities were removed from
Mofolo Park after they became too dangerous to frequent.
At Thokoza
Park, ablution blocks were created and display the work of local artists in the form of
mosaics for male, female and baby facilities, and they appear to have no significant
problems.
Park furniture
A variety of robust furniture for seating is used in the parks, from concrete
slabs to wrought iron benches. Each park has unique styles of benches that help to stamp
an identity on a place.
A concerted effort
These projects are all run by Johannesburg’s City Parks. It is worth
noting that there are also private initiatives, which complement the Greening Soweto
project. The overall challenges of this project do not lie solely in the planning, design
or execution but largely in the maintenance of the facilities. Although each park is
designed for unique site conditions, it would be all for naught if the system
couldn’t function.
It’s
all about flow and more so than usual in this case as these parks have all been created
along the Klipspruit stream and its tributaries.
City Parks
acknowledges that its efforts thus far only address about 25% of the need for recreational
facilities in disadvantaged areas, and it is pushing for budget to perform better levels
of maintenance and to continue the development of new facilities.
Urban Green
File is impressed by the approach taken in partnering with industry specialists, and the
subtle financial support of the project by some corporates.
The sense of
pride that emanates from the users of the parks to the people behind it all is tangible.
Go and see for yourself.
Playground equipment
Children’s favourites are found in almost all the parks: see-saws, slides,
swings, roundabouts, climbing frames shaped liked aeroplanes and more.Word on the street
is that the swings start going before school in the morning and don’t stop until long
after dark. The introduction of rubberized surfacing beneath all the equipment has to be
commended. It does get worn out in areas of high-use but it is intended to cushion a fall.
This is a very popular surface on European play grounds.
Litter traps
Litter traps in streams collect rubbish that has fallen into the waterway. The
streams are then cleaned (annually) in winter.
Ideally, the
litter traps should be cleaned far more frequently but the existing designs present
difficulties in this regard.
These litter
traps do catch a lot of debris in the vertical slats but, unless this is removed, the
spaces clog up and are no longer effective. Debris has to be removed from the traps by
hand – a task that can take several hours every month. The maintenance crew for the
parks department is reluctant to spend precious hours on this task when there are lawns to
be mowed, trees to prune, edges to trim and playground equipment to maintain. The roads
department is called in frequently to assist but, if it cannot do the cleaning
mechanically, it doesn’t do it. A new design seems necessary.
Tree maintenance
The older parks have some trees that are dying or have split. Access to these
trees is a problem as many of them are located within the wetlands.Trucks would normally
be brought in to remove the dead wood but it’s just not an option in this terrain.
Alternative approaches are required, such as cutting the wood into smaller pieces for
easier removal – even so, this will disturb the wetlands. So what is the lesser of
the two evils?
-----
WASTE AND POLLUTION MANAGEMENT
Contamination curbed
Prompt
action and a responsible attitude have defused a potentially dangerous situation at a
development in the Tshwane suburb of Hatfield.
The first
signs of underground contamination from leaking petrol were detected during 2005 when
developer City Property Administration commissioned a geotechnical survey on the initial
phase of the R280-million development now known as Hatfield Precinct.
The Hatfield
development included the consolidation of seven core properties, which are situated in the
street block bounded by Hilda Street to the east, Burnett Street to the south, Festival
Street to the west and the railway line to the north.
It appears
contamination was discovered during piling operations of the adjacent Damelin College and
Virgin Active developments but it wasn’t until demolition had been completed and
excavations began on the precinct site that the matter was reported to the oil industry
committee of the South African Petroleum Industry Association, which issued a general
notice of a potential problem to other authorities, including the Department of Water
Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) and the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.
It was
determined that a BP service station had been operating on the site but had been
decommissioned during 1998. Nevertheless the committee asked BP to investigate and it
commissioned a firm of specialist environmental consultants, Mills & Otten, to
determine the extent, origin and recommended treatment of the contamination.
“Determining
the ownership of the various properties in the area was problematic,” said Charles
Mills, a partner in the consultancy. “This was because the fire at the Munitoria
building a few years back had destroyed thousands of plans but a deed search revealed that
there were two service stations in the area that could be the culprits.”
Access to
the site, where excavations were continuing together with piling and lateral support, by
geotechnical engineering firm Esor, revealed that there were four potential sources of
contamination – one or all could be responsible. In addition to the two service
station sites, contamination was detected from a leaking sewer, which upstream, passed
through the university transport section where fuel tanks supplied the facility’s
transport.
“We
took between 70 to 80 soil samples from various areas on the site to determine the
concentration and nature of contamination, and our lab analysis revealed that both leaded
and unleaded fuel was present, deepening the mystery as unleaded fuel was only introduced
after the BP site was decommissioned,” Mills pointed out.
Analysis of
the samples also determined the severity of the contamination as ‘slight to
moderate’ without liquid product. Once the contamination had been characterised, a
suitable presumptive remedy could be recommended and, after consultation with affected
parties and consideration of dig-and-dump, in situ and bio-remediation options, Mills
recommended the latter. This meant that the contaminated soil, all 6 300 m² of it, would
be removed from the site and arranged in bio-piles or windrows for land farming.
The Tshwane
metro and a private waste contractor were engaged to determine the most practical and
cost-effective solution and Tshwane’s proposed use of the soil at the Hatherley site,
east of the city, was considered the most appropriate solution.
The re-use
of the soil by Tshwane at Hatherley for the construction of berms was the favoured option
by all concerned, including DWAF, over simply just dumping the contaminated material out
of site and out of mind.
Disposal method saves
South Africa is promulgating its own set of disposal specifications and standards for
contaminated materials so, until these have been finalised, US EPA regulations dictate the
methodology of disposal.
In addition
to the environmental and soil treatment aspects, the US regulations are wide-ranging,
laying down the criteria as to how the material should be moved and the best site options
and characteristics of the disposal site.
Esor’s
cartage and excavation contractor Infracor was asked to provide a price, and health and
safety plan on site. It was accepted by the developers and the Tshwane metro, and
specialist hazardous waste contractor Rapid Spill Response devised the plan to deal with
the material once it reached Hatherley, based on the US EPA regulations and the future
treatment necessary to neutralise the contamination.
Competence and
co-operation all round
Overseeing the process, Mills remarked that everyone concerned with the
remediation process acted responsibly, competently and timeously to ensure that the
developers would not be unduly penalised by the unfolding events. “Even though the
material covered many thousands of kilometres from site to site, no incidents of any kind
were experienced and all co-operated to ensure smooth and orderly disposal. This was an
occasion where everything went according to the book and it was a pleasure to oversee such
a successful project.”
Bio-remediation process
An area was demarcated at Hatherley where the soil would be treated. The area
was lined with plastic sheeting to prevent any leaching of contaminates into the soil.
Contaminated
material was lifted from Hatfield and offloaded on the prepared site in critically spaced
rows of prescribed height, and then spread by hand to a consistent depth of between 500 mm
to 600 mm to create an aerobic environment that allows oxygen to combine with the trapped
hydrocarbons to ensure bioremediation breakdown.
Fertilisers
were added to the soil to assist with the neutralization of nitrogen and phosphorus and
moisture content was monitored to complete the remedial environment.
No water was
added initially as rain had fallen and the soil was rotated every second week to ensure
aeration.
Regular
monitoring using vapour probes and laboratory soil testing determined the extent that the
soil was losing its toxicity and, at the time of writing, the consultants were satisfied
that, within a few weeks, the bio-remediation process would be complete and no further
action would be required.
Results of
sampling, lab tests and vapour probe readings are submitted to the metro, the Department
of Water Affairs and Forestry, the oil industry committee and BP.
-----
PLANNING PERSONALITY
Andrew
Boraine on Cape Town’s turnaround
Cape Town’s turnaround
Andrew
Boraine has turned theory into practice in Cape Town with a deep understanding of retail
and residential revolutions.
Andrew
Boraine (AB) first came to Cape Town in 1974 but has also worked in Johannesburg and
Pretoria. Through his involvement with the Cities Network, he moves extensively through
all nine major cities of South Africa. But he is a Capetonian at heart although he tries
not to be parochial about it.
Urban Green
File (UGF) caught up with him in his beloved ‘Mother City’.
UGF: What
was the first issue that the Cape Town City Partnership tackled back in 1999?
AB: We had
to address problems in the central city at the time, including businesses moving out to
the suburbs, decentralized office parks and the general decline of the inner city. The
first thing we did was to put together a public-private partnership that became the
origins of the Cape Town Partnership.
Our mandate
is very simple: to manage, promote and develop the central city. At first we focused very
much on the management side, providing quality urban management and getting the basics in
place.
This
included fighting crime and grime, as well as the management of precincts, public parking,
informal trading and public space. Through that we’ve set up the City Improvement
Districts
(CIDs). We have a hybrid model. The public-private partnership idea came out of the UK
while the CID model came more out of the North American experience. We researched that
back in 1997 and 1998 and eventually combined these two models. At the moment we are
operating at two levels: strategic partnership and operational management through the
CIDs.
UGF: How many CIDs does
Cape Town have?
AB: We set up the first central CID in 2000, covering the central business
district (CBD).
But we also
have one in Sea Point, one in Green Point and one in Oranje Kloof. This enabled the city
council to draw up CID legislation with our assistance.
Now there
are CIDs in 14 areas, including places like Woodstock and Muizenberg, operating in terms
of the ‘city bowl’. The Central City includes the traditional CBD of Cape Town
bounded by Woodstock, District Six, Gardens, Bo Kaap, Green Point, the V&A Waterfront
and the port. It includes the historical ‘old town’, the ‘east city’
and the Foreshore.
With the
central CID, we began by establishing management processes, such as the kerbside parking
management system.
The previous
system collapsed as, among others, meters were vandalised, double and even triple parking
took place all over. We worked very hard on the system that’s now in place by
replacing old meters with people keeping an eye on a number of parking bays, charging
users by means of a hand-held parking meter device.
We try to
make the management system address issues like poverty and unemployment.
The parking
system is now, for instance, labour-intensive involving unemployed people and we also have
a cleansing team drawn from an NGO working with the homeless, giving them life skills
training. We work with Men at the Side of the Road and The Big Issue. What started out
very much as a law and order programme now has a very strong social development component.
UGF: Any new
initiatives?
AB: We have recently launched the Cape Town Business Area Network as a
knowledge sharing and learning network. It will include the existing CIDs,
‘privately-managed’ areas like the V&A Waterfront and Century City, and
emerging business areas like the Khayelitsha and Athlone CBDs. It is in the interests of
Cape Town as a whole that all business areas are well run and properly managed. We support
the idea that people should be learning from each other on a continuous basis. I was
involved in setting up the South African Cities Network and I chair the board. We’ve
taken that model and applied it to Cape Town business areas. For example, every week we
take people on walking tours to show them how the different initiatives work. We try to
keep the information sharing very practical, linking it to real life experiences and
examples. We use a number of knowledge sharing techniques, such as workshops, seminars,
databases and peer reviews. More recently, we have extended our programme to look at
affordable housing, public transport and the upgrading of public spaces.
The most
recent programme we are involved in is called Creative Cape Town, which focuses on
promoting creative and cultural industries. We have about 800 creative and cultural
industries within the central city. A lot of these industries are small businesses.
Andrew Boraine
Andrew Boraine studied economic history at UCT in the 1980s and completed his
honours degree in 1986. At university, he was involved in student politics as president of
the National Union of South African Students for two years. During this time, he was
detained at Pretoria Central and banned for five years under the old Security Act. He took
part in the founding of the United Democratic Front, serving on the national executive for
several years. Before Boraine joined the Cape Town City Partnership, he advised Minister
Sydney Mufamadi on urban policy for two years; he was city manager of Cape Town for four
years; and deputy director-general in the Department of Constitutional Development. In the
mid-1990s, this department focused on the local government chapter of the Constitution and
the White Paper on Local Government. Boraine has been dealing with local government and
urban development issues for the past 20 to 25 years.
6 programmes for
central Cape Town
1. Quality Urban Management: a clean and safe city
2. Productive City: investment and development facilitation
3. Living in Town: promoting residential densification
4. Getting Around: promoting access and mobility
5. A Caring City: supporting social development
6. Creative Cape Town: the role of cultural industries
Cape Town Partnership
Cape Town’s inner city has seen tremendous growth in investment over the
past few years. An important role player in facilitating this growth was the Cape Town
Partnership, with Andrew Boraine as CEO, established in 1999 by the City of Cape Town,
Chamber of Commerce and the South African Property Owners Association. It is an
independent, non-profit organization governed by a board of directors, drawn from a range
of partners and stakeholders, and it employs six full-time staff, as well as another 18
people for the City Improvement Districts.
The
Foreshore – land reclaimed from the sea – near the Cape Town harbour has
developed tremendously in recent years. A major development on the corner of Hans Strijdom
and Lower Long streets is The Icon ‘lifestyle centre’ (pictured under
construction immediately above).
The future of our
cities
UGF: What lessons have you learned over the years?
AB: The notion of partnerships can be applied on a whole range of levels –
around security, cleansing and parking management, as well as strategic planning and
investment. We now also have a partnership around the upgrade of the Cape Town Station.
The broad
concept of public-private partnerships has been made very practical. We’ve learned
that the language of government and private sector is not always the same. There are
sometimes misunderstandings, tension and differences of opinion with public goals versus
private goals. We try to translate and to build trust.
UGF: How does Cape Town
compare to Johannesburg in terms of issues and solutions?
AB: Cape Town is 300 years older than Johannesburg, bringing into play a
heritage and cultural aspect as well as a different architectural aspect. Johannesburg has
been kind of torn down and rebuilt three times in 100 years. It requires a different
approach.
The Cape
Town central city is in some sense ‘easier’ in that we have one CID while
Johannesburg
has a number of CIDs with gaps in between. What we’ve learned is that, if you do not
have CIDs wall-to-wall, you might end up just displacing the problem. Johannesburg has a
much tougher task because of the size and scale of its CBD. I also think decentralization
started earlier in Johannesburg and had a more devastating effect.
Residential and retail
revolution
The conventional indicator of property figures indicates that vacancies are
down to under 5% and property prices have gone up considerably; the value of municipal
rates has almost doubled; footfall in town has increased; and there is a strong
residential component (3 700 residential apartments are expected by the end of 2006
whereas there were 700 in 2000), which creates demand for additional convenience stores
and the like. The retail revolution is following the residential revolution. The opening
up of buildings at ground floor level is also encouraged to enhance the public-private
interface – retailers, coffee shops and restaurants in turn increasing sidewalk
activity; private companies are urged to beautify public spaces by planting trees, for
example. There is a move away from the old ‘I am paying rates and taxes’
mentality to ‘we are in a partnership’ now. The upgrading and maintenance of
public spaces is a priority for the Cape Town City Partnership, which has also studied the
legacy our cities will inherit after 2010.
UGF: What is the most
important lesson you have learned?
AB: At the end of the day, it is important that the word goes out that all of
our cities are well managed. This is the collective message that we want to send out to
the rest of the world. I think that our cities should be competitive but not necessarily
in competition with each other. Take your niche market and work it into your advantage.
The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality (Port Elizabeth) has, for instance, made
tremendous strides with its downtown development in recent years.
UGF: How is 2010 going
to affect our cities?
AB: 2010 is a big issue. I do not think it is the ‘be-all and
end-all’. I think one has to look at 2020 or 2030 to understand 2010. 2010 is now a
very short-term plan. I think the main legacy projects that will come out of 2010 will be
improved public transport systems.
There is
also an opportunity to involve our citizens in a big way. Cities in Germany showed the way
by saying “You are welcome to our cities if you have a ticket or not” whereas
the message of previous World Cups was “If you do not have a ticket, do not
come”. And the focus was just on the stadiums whereas Germany focused on its cities.
It is obviously going to be different in South Africa.
The 2010
World Cup is going to be held in winter and not a relatively warm German summer, and we
are also going to focus on public viewing points – centralized and decentralised
– to enable South Africans to participate even if they cannot afford to go to the
stadiums. That will leave a legacy of upgraded public spaces. We need to work out how
ordinary citizens can participate in a world-class event. Cape Town is, of course, going
to be the ‘party city’ of 2010!
Decentralisation
delimited
Areas like Century City (pictured) have grown tremendously but city leaders
fortunately intervened before decentralisation became catastrophic for Cape Town’s
central city. As opposed to Johannesburg, it took less time to convince investors and
citizens that it would work, and it is a smaller area with a shorter turnaround time. The
scale of Johannesburg is immense in comparison. Cape Town’s city centre is a
relatively contained focus area, which has retained its iconic status because of its
history. Johannesburg could sprawl in any direction. But, given its challenges,
Johannesburg’s city management is commendable.
-----
BATTLE OF THE ’BURBS
Pinelands
v Joe Slovo
The future of the flats
Seperated
by a buzzer zone, two very different on the ‘Cape Flats’ illustrate two very
different, though innovative, approaches to development.
The area
known as the ‘Cape Flats’ spans the vast parcel of land between False Bay and
Table Bay in Cape Town. Close to sea level, this low-lying area has few natural geographic
features and the sandy environment is prone to harsh winds while the low water table has
created many marshlands. The general area would ordinarily not have been regarded as
suitable for human settlement but a township, established during the early part of the
20th century, is today a haven of lush green open spaces and tree-lined boulevards. This
80-year-old suburb is Pinelands, which is compared to the newly-established ‘battle of the ‘burbs’.
Urban Green
File visited these two suburbs to find out whether or not the Cape Flats can actually
sustain human settlement and what design principles are inherent in each ‘burb.
The garden city
movement
The South Africa of the early 20th century (after the gold and diamond rush)
experienced major urbanisation. Richard Stuttaford, a well-known merchant and city
councillor of Cape Town at the time, was convinced that better housing and living
conditions were necessary to meet associated social problems. On meeting Ebenezer Howard,
author of the ground-breaking book Garden Cities of Tomorrow, he was greatly impressed
with Howard’s ideas and schemes.
In 1919,
Stuttaford persuaded the South African government to grant the trustees of the
newly-formed Garden Cities Trust 365 morgen of the Uitvlugt Forest Reserve for the
purposes of establishing a ‘garden city’. He donated the then considerable sum
of £10 000 to the trust so that it could pursue its objective.
The garden
city movement in post-industrial Great Britain aimed to develop suburbs that were
contained and offered the benefits of town and country.
Emphasis was
placed on open spaces. The first garden cities in England were established at Letchworth
(1904) and Welwyn (1921). Although not all of Howard’s ideas were always religiously
implemented, there is no denying that it had a significant impact on town planning in the
20th century.
Post-apartheid
development
The latter part of the 20th century saw the apartheid government settling
coloured and black communities on the inhospitable Cape Flats. Over the past decade, rapid
urbanization has seen large numbers of people moving there – many of them have
settled in informal shacks. Various attempts have been made to formalise these areas by
supplying decent housing and services.
For the
purposes of this discussion, the new development of Joe Slovo (and not the informal
settlement) is compared to Pinelands in order to see what lessons could be learned.
The urban
design framework for Joe Slovo can be described as a series of perimeter blocks on the
edges of streets. The spaces created between blocks are treated as public places and
carefully landscaped with hard surfaces and grids formed by trees.
Land use
Pinelands 9/10
*
Plenty open space
*
Mixed use
Based on
garden city principles, the original design of Pinelands was intended to make the
neighbourhood selfcontained.
It therefore
has a wide range of community facilities and activities. A number of churches of various
denominations, schools, homes for the aged, sports clubs and a large number of social and
cultural societies are active in the area.
Surprisingly,
though, Pinelands does not only offer single plot residential housing options but also
higher density developments in the form of blocks of flats and even a few townhouses.
Different
housing options are on offer. Pictured is a block of flats within walking distance of
Howard Centre, one of the retail nodes of Pinelands. Pinelands is well provided for in
terms of retail. Two of the retail centres, Howard Centre (named after Ebenezer Howard)
and Central Square (pictured left) have been around for several decades and are well-known
landmarks in the area. The first houses in the Pinelands area were constructed in the
early 1920s along Meadway. These quaint houses were declared national monuments in the
1980s.
Joe Slovo 8/10
*
Starting place
*
Meeting basic needs
*
Urban agriculture
At this
point in time, the development at Joe Slovo is still very much focused on meeting the
residential requirements of the local population.
However
future phases, specifically Phase 3, are scheduled to provide even more housing options as
well as boundary walls and more open spaces. Better links with the existing Langa retail
centre are also planned. The multi-purpose sports facility towards the south of the site
is easily accessible.
According to
Jac Snyman of JSAssociates, the development is intended to serve as a sort of
‘starting place’ for residents. People will live here until they advance
economically and then move on.
The power
line servitude has been earmarked for urban agriculture. A big portion of the people
moving into the Joe Slovo housing development are expected to be new to the urban
environment and will not be able to afford elaborate living conditions. The development
therefore focuses on providing a minimum but dignified level of living. More amenities are
envisaged in further phases of the Joe Slovo development but, until such a time, there is
likely to be a lot of activity and linkages with the existing informal part of Joe Slovo
and the adjacent Langa township.
Accessibility
Pinelands 8/10
*
Train stations
*
Pedestrians and
cyclists
Ahead of its
time, Pinelands has actually been developed to be served by a public transport system but
the densities are probably not high enough for a bus service to be really sustainable.
Access via train stations is, however, very good with at least five stations serving
Pinelands. Access by car is also easy via the N2 highway. In line with garden city
thinking, Pinelands is very much internally-oriented as the intention was for the
neighbourhood to be contained and self-sustainable. It therefore does not have
well-established links with the neighbourhoods surrounding it. Wide roads and ample open
space, as well as the squares and culs-de-sac, make the neighbourhood very pedestrian- and
cyclist-friendly.
At least
five stations serve Pinelands, among them Oude Molen, Raapenberg and Pinelands. Throughout
Pinelands, provision is made for pedestrians. Where possible, heavy traffic is separated
from neighbourhood traffic.
Joe Slovo 8/10
*
Freeway access
*
Taxi stops
*
Linking Langa
*
Pedestrians
Different
from the Pinelands approach of being inwardly-oriented, the urban design framework for Joe
Slovo considered the link to the surrounding community of Langa. The idea is to
functionally link the area with Langa in order to improve future sustainability.
A market
square forms part of Phase 1 and the project is adjacent to an existing community boxing
hall.
It does not
cater for cars. Being close to an industrial area and other employment opportunities, the
city is also within easy reach via public transport (train and taxi).
The Joe
Slovo development is very much focused on pedestrians. Buildings are on a human scale with
‘walk ups’ to the first and second floors. Street lighting adds to greater
security. It is located on a narrow strip of land along the N2 highway. A single road
serves as an access route where taxi pick-up points are located.
Sense of community
Pinelands 8/10
*
Residents represented
*
Supported by urban
form
To a large
extent, the urban form of the garden city layout supports a sense of community.
Great care
was taken to ensure that even the smallest lanes should offer a beautiful vista –
either a distant view of Table Mountain or perhaps an attractive cluster of trees.
There was a
complete departure from the hackneyed South African ‘chess board’ layout.
The
community is also served by a number of community organisations. The young and the old are
represented with a number of schools and retirement homes.
Joe Slovo 7/10
*
Supported by urban
form
*
High density
At 132
units/ha, the densities in the Joe Slovo development are extremely high so the design
required innovation to ensure that a sense of community was achieved. Although residents
still have to move in, the design looks promising.
The emphasis
on urban spaces is significant. It is a departure from the traditional approach to
affordable housing where small free-standing houses are developed on separate plots. The
buildings are positioned to form internal courtyards.
Environment
Pinelands 8/10
*
Conserving trees
*
Open spaces
*
Tree planting
*
Orientation of
buildings
*
Wind management
When driving
or walking through Pinelands, with its vast open spaces and treelined avenues, it is hard
to believe that you are on the Cape Flats. Little remains of the original environment. As
the Pinelands area was a forestry estate before the first housing development, the first
developers attempted to preserve as many of the original pines as possible. Subsequent
developers continued with the legacy and Pinelands is today known for its trees and parks.
A mature and
concerned urban community maintains its assets and protects its environment.
Joe Slovo 6/10
*
Tree planting
*
Orientation of
buildings
*
Wind management
Within the
Joe Slovo development, the focus is on improving people’s lives through environmental
landscaping and about managing the environment so that it does not impact negatively on
the development.
For
instance, orientation has played a key role in the positioning of the buildings. The
differences in height between different blocks ensure that the sun reaches windows of
buildings behind. Snyman said: “We are attempting to create a pleasant urban
environment comprising hard landscaping and trees. A major concern is to protect people
from the harsh winds for which the Cape Flats is infamous.
Trees and
higher buildings will provide some of this protection.”
Play areas
and taxi stops will become green havens when indigenous trees begin to grow. Trees have
been planted as focus points at the ends of the streets.
Conclusion
Pinelands: 33/40
Joe Slovo: 27/40
Reading up
on the history of Pinelands, it became evident that the development of Pinelands required
significant financial clout and political courage. But it seems to have been worthwhile.
As part of the widely publicised N2 Gateway project, the Joe Slovo development is not in
need of financial resources and political support. It therefore has the potential to also
become an example of sound and sustainable human settlement on the Cape Flats. These two
areas are separated by an apartheidstyle buffer zone but they might as well be in two
different worlds. Could new design thinking bring them closer together?
-----
INSPIRATION
The high life
A
caravan park is transformed into a high-density but high-quality place where
underprivileged people can prosper.
The
Sakhasonke (‘we build together’) project in Port Elizabeth is truly inspiring.
This
original, low-cost housing initiative is the brainchild of Lance Delmonte, an architect
for Metroplan, and an example of what can be done with a great deal of imagination.
The project
began with the purchase of a 4,4 ha caravan park, which had been declared insolvent and
auctioned in 2001.
With
bridging finance from the General Motors Foundation, Delmonte purchased the land for only
R130 000. Government then stepped in and provided additional funding for further
development of the site. Delmonte designed 337 semi-detached, double-storey houses of 46
m²each. The difference in this Reconstruction and Development Programme project is that
it does not emulate the usual unimaginative developments that precede it. Delmonte managed
to create a ‘security village’-type development as usually enjoyed by affluent
communities. The ‘complex’, as the local residents know it, has large, open
court yards that promote a strong sense of community. The original 2,1 m wall surrounding
the caravan park was retained while the old ablution blocks were converted into a crèche.
A
residents’ committee has been formed and vegetable gardens have been established.
This project
won the South African Housing Foundation’s annual award for the development of houses
under R80 000. Urban Green File is so impressed with this development that it will be
covered in greater detail in an upcoming edition of the magazine.
-----
INSULT
Trees make way for Gautrain
Trees
felled for development in this day and age? The environmental battle rages on.
Although
Urban Green File finds that nature seems to be putting up a worthy fight against the
world’s delirious drive for development, there are instances where developers
evidently have the upper hand.
The felling
of trees along Katherine Street in Sandton, Johannesburg, to make way for the Gautrain is
a case in point.
At least 300
trees will be lost to this project. But the authorities have promised to plant three new
trees for every one removed – only indigenous species, according to the city’s
environmental management plan.
This remedy
is commendable but it’s still sad to see resplendent old trees (alien or not) removed
from the ‘world’s largest non-commercial forest’ (one of
Johannesburg’s proudest accolades).
When a row
of plane trees decorating the Sandton central business district goes, so does the peace of
mind of many who suffer daily traffic jams while hurrying from one appointment to the
next. How long will it take the new trees to be as restorative?
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