Contents for February 2005

EDITORIAL
Refurbishment and invasive plants

UPFRONT
News

IDENTIFYING INVADERS
Pampas Grass and Bailey’s Wattle

TREE OF THE ISSUE
The Woodland Waterberry

WORDS ON WASTE

Highveld Grassland ‘garden’

Golf course set in an old quarry

Transforming the urban landscape

Drill Hall renewed

A solution for acid mine water drainage

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EDITORIAL

Refurbishment and invasive plants
Last year, UGF and its sister journal Building Africa, in conjunction with Exhibitions for Africa, launched the ‘Reader’s Choice: Refurbishment Competition’. Both magazines are publishing articles on refurbishment projects and, in July this year, we will be calling on paid-up subscribers to vote for the best project. The winner will be announced at Afribuild 2005 exhibition – which will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre from 17-19 September. The theme of the exhibition is ‘refurbishment and facilities management’.

So far, the refurb projects that have been featured in the two journals are the following:
•            44 Stanley Avenue, Milpark (UGF Jul/Aug 2004, BA May 2004)
•            The Killarney apartment of architect Eric Noir (UGF Jul/Aug 2004)
•            Smitshof, Hillbrow (BA Nov 2004 and as part of a general article on Living in the City, UGF Sep/Oct 2004)
•            Sci-Bono Discovery Centre (BA October 2004)
•            Smitshof in Hillbrow (BA November 2004)
•            Drill Hall (UGF Jan/Feb 2005)
•            Rosebank’s old fire station (BA January 2005)

Architects, engineers, property owners and developers, facilities managers and building contractors: if you have a refurbishment project that you would like to nominate, send a short email with details of your project to Robin Hayes (robin@brookepattrick.co.za). He will contact you for more information, if the project is selected for publication.

This issue’s will be the last column of Identifying Invaders (page 8), for the time being, as the so called ‘Weeds List’ is under revision at present and a new list (which could see a number of additions and category changes) will be published later this year, under the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act (CARA).

UGF has published details about and photographs of weeds and invaders in all three categories over the last two years – and, intermittently, in earlier issues of UGF. For those readers who have asked us to draw-up a list of the invaders we have published in this column – here it is:
Jan/Feb 2003 - Tecoma stans (Yellow Bells) and Cirsium vulgare (Scotch Thistle)
Mar/Apr 2003 – Pontedaria cordata (Pickerel Weed) and Gleditsia triacanthos (Honey Locust)
May/Jun 2003 – Nerium oleander (Oleander) and Tipuna tipu (Tipuana)
Jul/Aug 2003 – Cana indica (Indian Shot) and Grevillea robusta (Australian Silky Oak)
Sep/ Oct 2003 – Acacia cyclops (Rooikrans), Acacia longifolia (Long-leaved Wattle) and Acacia saligna (Port Jackson)
Nov/Dec 2003 – Lilium formosum (St Joseph’s Lily) and Arundo donax (Spanish Reed)
Jan/Feb 2004 – Cereus jamacaru (Queen of the Night)
Mar/Apr 2004 – Hedychium gardnerianum (Kahili Ginger Lily) and Cardiospermum grandiflorum (Balloon Vine)
May/Jun 2004 – Argemone ochroleuca (Mexican Poppy) and Acacia podalyriifolia (Pearl Acacia)
Jul/Aug 2004 – Invasive Bauhinia spp (Bauhinias) and Rubus cuneifolius (American Bramble)
Sep/Oct 2004 – Populus X canescens (Grey Poplar) and Araujia sericifera (Moth Catcher)
Nov/Dec 2004 – Macfadyena unguis-cati (Cat’s Claw Creeper) and Robinia pseudoacacia (Black Locust)

UGF received an interesting notification from the UCT Graduate School of Business saying that, according to a recent study done by the school, the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP), that we have written about in recent articles and editorials, has made a cumulative contribution to South Africa’s gross domestic product of more than R 377 million since it was established in 1998. The City of Cape Town has been a key stakeholder in the park since its creation, donating its two major nature reserves – Table Mountain and Silvermine – to the park. Additionally the number of jobs in the park peaked at 626 last year.

Brett Myrdal, TMNP Manager, said: “Through an intensive public works approach to alien vegetation clearing and rehabilitation of infrastructure….. the TMNP has contributed to skills development and the income of unskilled and semi-skilled people from impoverished communities adjacent to the park.” - Carol Knoll

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UPFRONT

International Architecture+ Award for Landscape Design
Green Inc Landscape Architects were declared the winners of the Landscape Design category of the Architecture+ Awards 2004 at Dubai Media City in the UAE. The prestigious international award was given for the design of the landscape around the Northern Cape Legislature building in Kimberley. Three hundred entries were narrowed down to the ten best, over a nine month long process.

Other winners in two more of the ten categories were HOK Gulf for the Dubai Marina in the Urban Design category, and Architecture & Development for Cinema Ariana in Afghanistan in the Preservation & Conservation category. Laurie Baker, the renowned British architect who has chosen to work in India, was given the Lifetime Achievement Award. Baker said on receiving his award over a live video feed in: “Use 20th Century techniques while maintaining principles acquired over centuries. To be successful architecture must cope with climate, materials, terrain and culture – and consider economic, social and population problems.”

The new legislature building, designed by architect Luis Ferreira da Silva, is sited on the outskirts of town in somewhat disturbed natural Kimberley Thorn-Bushveld. Green Inc decided to keep the landscape design simple by protecting the existing vegetation and reinstating locally indigenous plant material around the buildings. The immediate vicinity of the buildings is densely planted with a rich variety of flowering species, while towards the periphery of the site the planting blends with the surrounding bushveld landscape.

The result is a subtle landscape that offsets the bold sculptural architecture. Stone-walled enclosures in the landscape are reminiscent of the stone kraals traditionally used to house livestock by local tribes. Embankments were stabilised by means of natural rock and planted with aloes and other succulents to reflect the harsh, arid beauty of the area. Many of the plants, not generally grown for horticultural use, were propagated specially for the project.

The buildings are grouped around a paved gathering space or patlelo in which there is a lawned mound planted with three Acacia trees. Artworks by artist Clive van den Berg are an important element of both the landscape and the buildings. The most striking of his works in the landscape are a series of cast concrete profiles that pay homage to the heroes of the struggle for freedom in South Africa.
Contact Stuart Glen of Green Inc. Tel: (011) 782 2210. Email: stuart@greeninc.co.za

Ehlazeni District environmental award winner: Lowveld Botanical Garden
Environmental Consultants EcoTechnik and the Lowveld Chamber of Business and Tourism (LCBT) have, for the first time this year, introduced the EcoTechnik LCBT Environmental Award in the Ehlanzeni District Municipality of Mpumalanga. The district spans the area previously known as the Lowveld in Mpumalanga.

Danie Neumann of EcoTechnik told UGF that the award was conceived to act as a forerunner at local level to the already prestigious IAIAsa National Premium Award (UGF Nov/Dec 2004, pg 18). He explained that it was hoped that the idea at local level would lead to the introduction of environmental awards at provincial level, and that this would encourage the entry of smaller projects into the national competition. The winner of this new local award automatically goes forward into the national IAIA Awards. 

Six entries were received and three finalists chosen. The new visitor’s centre and restaurant at the Lowveld Botanical Garden in Nelspruit was adjudged the winner, with the hazardous waste site at the Manganese Metal Company and the rehabilitation of the wetland at the Nelspruit Crossing shopping centre as runners-up.

The judges were Dr Garth Bachelor, a natural scientist and Director Impact Management at the Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture and Land Administration (DALA); Heinrich Kammeyer, a chemical engineer representing the LCBT; and the environmental consultant, Danie Neumann.

The judges found that the project at the Botanical Garden showed excellence in its execution and commitment, throughout construction, to limiting environmental impact. The Botanical Garden is sited on the ecologically sensitive site of a National Protected Area and, as such, the project enjoyed the attention of various stakeholders, including the South African Botanical Society, the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) and the Friends of the Garden. Under the watchful eye of these environmental NGOs, potential environmental impacts were avoided.

The Environmental Impact Assessment was followed by an Environmental Management Plan which was monitored by an Environmental Control Officer and contractors were threatened with heavy penalties for any deviation from the recommendations. Trees such as the old Kiaats (Pterocarpus angolensis) and Waterberries (Syzygium cordatum) on the construction site were carefully marked and a hefty fine of R 22 000 would have been imposed for any damage caused to these trees – one warning was given but there was no need to fine anybody because there was strict adherence to the rules. Contractors were strictly confined to the cordoned off building site and the site was moved 5m to re-position the building so as to accommodate one of the Kiaats.
Contact EcoTechnik for further information. Tel: (013) 755 2218. Email: cotechn@mweb.co.za 

Eskom's energy efficient design competition
Open to both students and professionals, the competition focussed on the design of lampshades for energy saving globes, as well as designs for energy efficient buildings. There were no winners in the commercial and industrial energy efficient buildings categories but two entries were commended: those of Colin Marran of Professional Lighting Analysts and of Lawrence Kitambi of the Botswana Government’s Electrical Engineering department.

Shaik Hoosein Unice won first prize in the professional category for his stand-alone portable lamp, entitled the ‘Genie Lamp’, which can be carried, wall-mounted or suspended. The lamp is a low energy consumption unit with 100% luminance, with the ability to be recharged by ac or dc sources, solar panels or motor vehicle cigarette lighter adaptors. When fully charged it will operate for 12 hours. The light is relatively inexpensive to manufacture making it ideal for low-cost and informal housing, while it could also be used for emergency lighting during power cuts, for camping trips or by workmen working in unlit areas. Other potential applications include night vending machines and lighting for hawkers.

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IDENTIFYING INVADERS

Cortaderia jubata and Cortaderia selloana 
Pampas Grass and Bailey’s Wattle
UGF’s regular column serves to help with the identification of invasive alien plant species and their control. Some of the information in this column was obtained from the Plant Protection Research Institute and Lesley Henderson’s book Alien Weeds and Invasive Plants.

The two species of Pampas Grass have only slightly different characteristics and are  difficult to tell apart, but they are both Category 1 weeds and therefore required to be removed by land owners, in accordance with the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act. Their most distinguishing characteristic is that the inflorescence of Cortaderia selloana is stiffer than that of Cortaderia jubata – which is more feathery.

Both these declared weeds are robust, tussock grasses which originate in different parts of South America and their invasive status in South Africa is that of potential transformers – plants that have the potential to dominate vegetation but, although they are showing signs of this ability, are not as yet having a marked effect. However, they have been classified as transformers of ecosystems elsewhere in the world. C. selloana is a very serious problem plant on New Zealand’s North Island where it was originally introduced for windbreaks.

According to Dr Stefan Neser of the PPRI, C. jubata is the more invasive of the two, as all the plants are fertile and the ovule does not require a pollen grain to fertilise it – the two cells of the ‘egg’ have the ability to fuse in a form of asexual reproduction, which bears the scientific name of apomixis. Neser points out that other weeds use the same tactic, particularly if they serve as pioneers on disturbed ground. This means that even if there is only a single plant in a particular area, it still has the ability to produce offspring with ease.

C. selloana produces both bisexual and female plants. The seeds of the female plant are light and hairy (declared respiratory tract irritants) and can be blown well away from the parent plant, whereas the hermaphrodite seeds are almost hairless and fall close to the parent plant – they also prefer damper soil. The female plant is, therefore, the more invasive of the two, says Neser.

The plants, which were introduced to South Africa for ornamental purposes and mine dump stabilisation, can only be controlled by mechanical means as there is no herbicide registered for their control. The above ground growth should be cut back, taking care to avoid the abrasive leaves, and then the roots need to be dug out. To guard against further spread of the seed, all the plant material should be burnt.

Acacia baileyana
Bailey’s Wattle is a declared Category 3 invader, meaning that those trees that are already in existence do not, as yet, have to be removed, unless they are within 30m of a water source, but they may not be propagated, sold or planted. There invasive status is that of a potential transformer. The plant invades grassland, fynbos, roadsides, urban open space and water courses.

The plant was introduced to South Africa from Australia as an ornamental and the large sprays of bright yellow, pom-pom flowers contrast well with the silvery-blue leaves. The branchlets and foliage are covered with a distinctive bluish-grey powdery bloom. The feathery, compound leaves are typical of acacias – and make the tree easily distinguishable from the Pearl Acacia (UGF May/June 2004) which has a similar appearance from a distance but has simple, oval leaves.

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TREE OF THE ISSUE

The Woodland Waterberry
Horticulturist Warwick Bayer of Shadowlands Nursery in Kuils River has chosen the Woodland Waterberry (also called the Water Pear) as the Tree of the Issue. He makes the interesting observation that because this species is extremely variable, there is the potential for growers to select better forms from amongst the various sub-species. Some of the variants have smaller leaves and some larger, while some fruit more heavily and some manifest more compact growth. There are also different growth habits.

He comments that the tree is little known commercially, although it is starting to become available from Cape nurseries. He feels that it is a particularly attractive evergreen tree which deserves more use in the urban landscape. It is a fairly vigorous grower without being aggressive, meaning that the root system is unlikely to cause problems. It is a small tree and in Western Cape gardens or public space – in Kuils River it has been used as a street tree and in Stellenbosch in a parking lot – he has not seen it exceeding 8-9m in height and with an 8m spread, on average. The fact that the stem reaches a nice height before branching begins is another advantage that he mentions.

Warwick says that although the tree is not in common use in the Western Cape, it is well suited to Cape conditions: it is happy in sandy soil, copes with fairly stiff wind while retaining its upright growth habit and does not appear to mind being relatively dry once it is established. He talks about two trees that were originally planted in proximity to a septic tank and even though the septic tank was removed, the trees have remained in good shape. He says that the trees have shed some foliage and now flower and fruit less profusely but this is a positive in the urban landscape, because the small problem that well-watered trees may cause with flower and leaf litter is even less in evidence.

He suggests that the tree is a good alternative to trees that are now declared invaders and that its ability to tolerate dry conditions makes it appropriate for waterwise landscaping. He sees it as a nice substitute for exotics such as Tristania, one of the Australian Eucalypts, and for Populus simonii which features on Table X of the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act regulation 15 – meaning that the tree may shortly be declared as invasive. (He, personally, does not see the latter tree as being a threat as he has never seen it suckering – whereas the other poplar species, in his opinion, certainly need to be declared invasive.)

He says the tree can also be used for large hedging as it responds well to sheering and this would need to be carried out three or four times a year.

Shadowlands Nursery has the tree in stock at about 1,6m to 1,8m in height in 20l bags. Warwick mentions that it is an easy tree from a grower’s perspective: relatively fast growing at just under 1m per year and needing only the minimum of pruning, feeding and water – in other words it slots into a general production nursery quite easily.

It is interesting to note that Shadowlands having started out as a largely exotic nursery is, because of market demand, now growing 80% indigenous species.

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WORDS ON WASTE

Highveld Grassland ‘garden’
Architect Paul Asquith and his wife Sue bought a property in Breaunanda, Krugersdorp, and built a house on this steep, rocky site, above the stream called Muldersdrif se Loop, in 1997. Paul planned from concept stage to keep the ‘garden’ as natural as was feasible. The portion of the garden that is undisturbed – has no supplementary planting – is, he says, “really just a piece of veld”. It is a piece of veld in good condition in a fairly densely developed suburban area and harbours two clumps of the grassland aloe, Aloe verecunda, hence answering Urban Green File’s call for readers to let us know about ‘remnants of nature in urban areas’

We are hoping to create awareness and encourage conservation of the valuable natural areas that we have left within the parameters of our towns and cities, countrywide. Paul and Sue have sold their property and bought a site, including a small piece of indigenous forest, in Knysna. Their intention is to conserve the forest patch.

The size of the property in Krugersdorp is a mere 1 867m² – under a fifth of a hectare. It lies adjacent to an undeveloped stand of 2 000m² and is connected to areas of grassland that run down to and along the stream, some parts of which are infested with invasive species and others which, according to Paul, are still relatively pristine.

The grassland biome in South Africa is very poorly conserved – according to figures given by Professor Braam van Wyk of Pretoria University – 60% of the grassland biome has already been destroyed – some of it irreversably by agronomy and afforestation – while only 2,4% is officially conserved. Urbanisation is a major additional influence on the loss of grassland, particularly highveld grassland, as the Witwatersrand is centred in this biome.

Paul has been meticulous in recording the species that occur naturally on his property and his recent count done on 15 November 2004, shows 45 herbaceous species, 12 trees and shrubs and 24 grass species. Paul has noted that these 81 species on his small property tally nicely with the mean species richness for the grassland biome, which is a figure of 82 species per 1 000m². Braam points out that, at the 1 000m² scale, the average species richness of the grassland biome is even higher than that of fynbos communities, being outstripped only by renosterveld at 86 species.

Braam also comments on the fact that it is not generally appreciated that the majority of species in a grassland are non-grassy herbs, most of which are perennial plants with large underground storage structures and most of these have the ability to live for several decades, if not longer. Paul’s count shows that there are close to double the number of herbaceous species in comparison to the number of grass species.

The area in which the Asquith property is situated on Integra Drive is north of the stream which Paul, who has made a close study of the area, says is, on some maps, named Muldersdrif se Loop – but it is in fact the start of the well known Crocodile River. A few hundred meters from the house, the stream turns north and flows through a gorge before crossing Robert Broom Drive and entering the property of the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden, where it plunges 70m down a cliffside into a pool and is known as the Witpoortjie Falls – a landmark of the Botanical Garden. Paul, as a previous member of the Florida Hiking Club, has led guided walks along the stream in the past and comments that there are a number of stretches of open grassland that are worthy of conservation along the established trail which connects to the Roodekrans Lapa.

The fate of Paul’s carefully preserved pocket of rocky grassland, however, now hangs in the balance but he is hopeful that the new owner will see its value and charm and retain it as it is. He has provided the new owner with a set of notes, and a comprehensive plant list, describing the reasons for conserving this little pocket of rocky grassland and explaining that it requires virtually no maintenance, in the hope that the new owner will strive to keep his so called ‘garden’ natural, with discrete supplementary plantings in certain areas only.

Paul admits that the garden has not been left entirely “free of the gardener’s interfering hand” as additional species of trees and shrubs have been planted, along with some wild flowers. The Asquith’s felt the need for more privacy to the north of their stand and an Acacia karroo (Sweet Thorn), along with other species which they have planted, serves this purpose well. He explains in his write-up to the new owner that the general intention was to plant only species indigenous to the Witwatersrand, which would not only be appropriate but would require little or no intervention to ensure their survival. He adds, when asked about the presence of certain species, that he did allow a very few exceptions to this general rule in the planted areas and that he made a few mistakes – some of those mistakes were based on incorrect information given to him by nurseries.

He says indigenous gardening is usually taken to mean gardening only with South African plants but that in his garden, the definition is much narrower.   

In his notes to the new owner, he talks about the minimal intervention that is required to sustain the garden and says that no watering is required. He qualifies this by saying that in the natural areas reliance can be placed on rainfall alone, but that when a nursery grown plant is introduced, he waters very thoroughly at planting stage. No mowing, in the conventional sense, is required but the veld grass needs to be slashed at the end of summer and all the cuttings removed as a precaution against fire.

“There have been several grass fires since we built the house in 1997. They come up from the areas of open grassland below the property and of course do not harm the veld as they are part of the grassland ecology but may well threaten buildings, hence the recommendation to keep the grass short in winter. The ‘fire load’ in short grass is low, the flames are smaller and the heat less intense,” comments Paul.

He explains that the undisturbed veld requires little to no weeding but that disturbed areas on the property are subject to invasion by exotic pioneers. He says only a few indigenous pioneers have been noted – the Cranesbill, Monsonia angustifolia, of the Geranium family and some annual grasses. “To enable the gardener to weed the veld, it is necessary to be able to identify both indigenous and exotic plants and I have to admit to having made some mistakes, initially. Many of the leaves of Elephantorrhiza elephantina, Elephant’s Root, were torn off by mistake when I thought they were the invasive exotic Black Wattle! Learning the plants is, however, a fascinating and rewarding process.”

Paul says the only snakes they have seen on the property have been Brown House Snakes, which are harmless. “If they come into the house, they can be picked up with braai tongs and put back into the garden. There are scorpions and although they can sting, their poison is not life-threatening. We have also seen mongooses, river crabs, frogs and vlei rats on occasions.”

There are some specimens of Protea caffra, Common Sugarbush/Suikerbos, on the Asquith property and the site next door has a reasonably dense stand of these trees. Paul says they like to be left alone, without any watering or fertilising and it is particularly important not to dig around their roots. “So far we have a few self-sown young trees on our property which will replace the older ones as they die. These young trees are very important as this species is practically impossible to propagate. Mite infestation, apparent from the distorted clumps of leaves and twigs, is natural to this protea but a heavy infestation can sometimes kill the tree. We pruned two of the trees heavily to remove the infestation – one thrived, the other died.” 

Paul does admit to having Celtis sinensis or Celtis australis, exotics from the Mediterranean regions on his property. These are not yet on the official Weeds List but are on Table X, meaning that they are in the process of being considered for listing and in all likelihood will became declared invaders shortly. Urban Green File would like to warn readers, once again, that these trees are fast hybridising with our beautiful indigenous Celtis africana, White Stinkwood, and could spell the end of this magnificent tree in the long run.

Aloe verecunda and urban refugia 
There are two clumps of this very pretty, small (verecunda means ‘modest’), summer flowering, grass aloe species on the property. It is a species largely associated with the rocky grassland ridges of the Witwatersrand but does occur slightly further afield. Charles Craib, a specialist in rare and endangered plant species, who is in the process of writing a book on South Africa’s grass aloes, says that the colour difference in the flowers between the clump in the front of the Asquith house and the one at the back door suggests that these plants were previously part of a much larger community.

Charles says there is a great deal of cross-pollination within the bounds of a large population and, as a result, any big population of plants shows variation. He says there used to be a very big continuous population along the Krugersdorp ridge, through to Johannesburg’s hills and ridges, where scattered clumps can still be seen at Melville Koppies nature reserve and in the old ‘park’ called The Wilds in Houghton, and then on to Linksfield Ridge where there are very few pockets left. He says the biggest remaining population of this grass aloe is on the Carltonville hills and that this may well, originally, have been considered part of the same population, as it was only separated from the Krugersdorp ridge by a relatively short distance of unsuitable habitat in the form of low, dry, truncated, boulder koppies. He says this huge population was recorded by aloe specialist, Gilbert Reynolds, in the 1950s and that his book ‘The Aloes of South Africa’ is still the definitive work on aloes in this country. 

Charles comments that he was interested to note good seed set on the Asquith property aloes – no different from plants in the wild. Urbanisation does not put a stop to pollination and wreck colonies of plants in the way that afforestation does. Honey bees, wasps, carpenter bees, Black Sunbirds and Malachite Sunbirds are the pollinators of Aloe verecunda, and the exotic gardens of suburbia encourage these through their provision of alternative sources of food. He says that the Malachite Sunbird is not common in gardens but favours the Krugersdorp ridge because there are populations of Protea roupelliae (Transvaal Silverleaf) there. (One of these populations is being threatened by development and this will be the subject of a forthcoming article in UGF.) Charles explains that forestry plantations are, however, wreckers of pollination biology because, apart from the very occasional pocket of indigenous vegetation, there is no food source and the birds and insects do not fly over extensive areas of forest.

He maintains that even small natural gardens like the Asquith’s could, in the long run, serve to provide refuge for threatened South African plant species and, although Aloe verecunda is not a Red Data species, as yet, it occurs mostly around areas of rapid urbanisation and plantations (there is a population near Swaziland adjacent to forested areas). The point he makes is that home owners, such as Paul, and particularly those on the periphery of suburbia, who start to understand and take an interest in preserving natural areas on their properties, could provide a “last ditch stand” for species that are eventually threatened with extinction.

He concludes that urban/peri-urban refugia may well be the only way of conserving the rarer grass aloes in the long term. These aloe colonies need protection against over-grazing, degradation of grassland through weed growth, dumping and informal settlements, agriculture, forestry and any general changes in land use patterns. Two examples of species which may shortly be on the brink of extinction and could be protected by knowledgeable property owners are: Aloe linearifolia, which is found on the outskirts of Margate and is, according to Charles, fast becoming vulnerable because its habitat has largely been given over to sugar cane; and Aloe parviflora, which has an indeterminate conservation status, and is found on the outskirts of Durban where it is being threatened by further development. 

In South Africa there are 27 species of grass aloe. ‘South Africa’s Grass Aloes’ authored by Charles Craib, after years of extensive research in the field, is to be published later this year by Umdaus Press. Gillian Condy has provided water-colour paintings of each species in its habitat and pencil habitat drawings have been done by Murray Ralfe.

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Golf course set in an old quarry
Eagle Canyon Golf Estate, Roodepoort

An 18-hole golf course has been built within the parameters of the old Honeydew Quarry. Over the years, the site had been extensively mined for sand and limestone, used for manufacturing ready-mix cement produced on site. Quarry owners LaFarge made the decision to close the quarry and sell the land because it was no longer economically viable to mine it, even though they had mining rights for a further 20 years. The new owners conceived the idea of building a golf course in the quarry, surrounded by real estate. This would serve to rehabilitate the mined area that could not be utilised for built structures. The land was degraded both ecologically and in terms of natural drainage – and the negative aesthetics had impacted on surrounding areas, precluding further development.

Residential pockets have been developed on the periphery of the rehabilitated quarry with excellent views across the 127ha of open space. Habitat creation on the golf course has been of primary concern.

At the start of the first phase, which included the rehabilitation of the quarry in conjunction with the bulk earthworks for the golf course, the site comprised large excavated areas, several slimes dams (as water is a critical ingredient in both the mining and production processes) and a ready-mix plant with related buildings. All the building rubble from the demolished factory buildings and batching plant, and from further afield, was utilised to fill and stabilise the slimes dams, which were then capped to provide the site for the driving range. No building waste has been taken off the site – rubble from the construction of houses that are being built in tandem with the course continues to be utilised as fill and to raise levels on the course where necessary.

At rehabilitation stage large stands of the invasive Black Wattle were cleared, along with Eucalypt species and Pampas Grass. This is an ongoing process, as follow-up work is constantly needed to prevent regrowth.

A Scoping Report incorporating a series of specialist studies was done in 2003 and after the Record of Decision was issued in 2004, the construction of the golf course and surrounding pockets of real estate commenced.

An important investigative study into the potential existence of the Giant Bullfrog, which is found in the vicinity, was done by Vincent Carruthers of VC Management. Although no Giant Bullfrogs (UGF Nov/Dec 2004, pg 13) were found on site, certain habitats were identified as suitable future breeding sites for the species Pyxicephalus adspersus: the extensive wetland below the main quarry which contains large stands of reeds (Phragmites australis); seepage entering a bed of bulrushes (Typha capensis) which forms a shallow vlei; and an undisturbed water course entering the property on the eastern boundary, which forms a temporary vlei area with static water and mixed vegetation. Carruthers commented that the possibility existed that the Giant Bullfrog was on site but that decades of disturbance would have reduced the probability. 

Because the Giant Bullfrog is on the Red Data List and in accordance with recommendations given by Carruthers in the form of contingency conservation measures, posters illustrating the Giant Bullfrog were put up on the golf course site during construction to encourage workers, in the event of a bullfrog siting, to report this to the ECO. The importance of conserving the Giant Bullfrog, which is listed as one of Gauteng’s flagship species (UGF WSSD issue 2002, pg 125) because it has declined by 80% in this province over the past 20 years, was explained to management and the workforce, and workers were given instructions to take reasonable care while excavating to avoid potential injury to bullfrogs.

Another environmental recommendation, resulting from the vegetation study done by Christa Custers of Eco Assessments, on this site of Rocky Highveld Grassland, was that special plants with medicinal value such as Hypoxis hemerocallidea (Star Flower), another of Gauteng’s flagship species (UGF WWSSD issue, pg 125), and Boophane disticha (Tumbleweed - UGF Nov/Dec 2002, pg 17) should be removed from the construction site and planted in a safe area. These plants have been planted out on a road island in the estate.

Golf course designer Douw van der Merwe of the DDV Design Group said that the fundamental design principle was to integrate the course into the site as part of the rehabilitation process of the quarry. Assets such as the reedbeds, already in existence in the areas of open water in the quarry bottom, were recognised for their role in habitat creation, as were the rugged, partly eroded embankments of the quarry, which have now been seeded with veld grasses, for their aesthetic value in retaining the ambience of this man-made canyon.

Van der Merwe told of how, when the course was only partially constructed, he counted 35 bird species, largely water related and including the Purple Gallinule, on an early morning walk around the site. He has also recently seen a large flock of the European Bee-eater on the course.

He commented that there was almost too much water on the course, which resulted in difficult playing conditions, but was marvellous for waterfowl habitat and that the extensive evaporation created an element of air movement in what would otherwise have been a dead still area in the quarry bowl, sheltered by the high walls. The air movement creates another dimension for the golfer. “This is no ordinary golf course,” he said, “it is a whole new experience and the different undulations in the terrain allowed for a marked diversity in hole design.” 

The water in the features on the course is largely gravity fed from the main drainage line, a seasonal spruit that is fed by stormwater and runs along the periphery of the course. The stream is interspersed with a series of dams for water attenuation. Although the water is predominantly gravity fed, there is a reticulation system which allows water to be pumped across site, bringing stagnant areas into circulation in the features, before the water takes its natural course back into the stream and off site.

The quantity of water that comes onto site has given the designers an opportunity to create differences in water depth which are vital for habitat diversity. Different depths of water attract different frog species. The mud flats and shallows attract wading birds and provide habitat for the Giant Bullfrog, which mates in 40mm of water, while deep water, up to 3,5m, ensures that there is no excessive reed encroachment, caters for different waterfowl species and will allow the eventual introduction of indigenous fish species – for which a budget has been provided. Expanses of open water may attract species such as the African Black Duck.

With the extensive waterways on the course, the levels of fairways had to be carefully calculated at a minimum height of 1m above static water level to guard against flooding. The course required an extensive stormwater system and the course design had to be done around this system. Certain drainage channels have been protected against erosion with ‘armorflex’ because of the fast flowing water coming down onto the course, while level changes in the stream have been packed with natural rock which has been grouted in – also as a protective measure. Erosion of the quarry walls has been contained by installing cut-off drains to prevent stormwater runoff and by reseeding with the natural veld grasses of the area. In the large areas of open water, the dam edges have been lined with a thick, jute matting as a protection against wave movement. A combination of Cynodon dactylon (Kweek), and other natural veld grasses, has been sown into the matting to act as a buffer against erosion.   

Holes 6 and 7 are sited along an old slimes dam, which is in the process of being dried out and cleared of weeds to form a large waste bunker – an additional hazard to improve the golfing experience. Van der Merwe mentioned that the site had been almost totally without topsoil because of the quarrying, and that silt had been used as topsoil. This had created difficult growing conditions which meant that some fertilising had to be done. The designers chose Kikuyu grass for the fairways, with the reasoning that the continual cutting of the fairways and maintenance of the edges would stop the grass from seeding and spreading its seed into the waterways, and from invading into the Kweek which has been used in the semi-rough. The rough and out-of-play areas have been extensively sown with veld grasses.

The course is being irrigated by goundwater – the water table in the quarried areas is high, and by borehole water in a ratio of approximately 50/50. A programme of indigenous tree planting, along with swathes of indigenous shrubbery, is scheduled for focal, out-of-play areas, but trees will not feature as hazards on the course.  

Project team
Developers: Eagle Canyon Golf Estate
Project manager: Waywing
Golf course architects: DDV Golf
Landscape architects: DDV Landscape
Golf course contractor: Wonder Gardens Africa
Town planners: APS PlanAfrica
Stormwater management and engineering services: James Crosswell & Ass
Environmental and risk consultants: Willchem in association with Rob Taylor & Ass
Geotechnical study: Reddy Milner & Shedden
Groundwater review: EarthSense
Wetland study: B&M Environmental Services
Vegetation and mammal study: Eco Assessments
Amphibian report: VC Management Services
Environmental Control Officer: John Drummond

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Transforming the urban landscape
Gauteng Provincial Government Precinct, Johannesburg

The prospect of more green open space and a public square of civic stature in central Johannesburg is appealing. But does the proposed Gauteng Provincial Government Precinct warrant the demolition of ten buildings over more than two city blocks in Johannesburg’s historical core? Leigh Darroll spoke to Dr Johann Bruwer and Catharina Bruwer of Heritage Resources Management, the consultants appointed by the Gauteng Provincial Government to undertake the Heritage Impact Assessment for the proposed precinct.

Urban Green File first noted the proposed development of the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) Precinct in the Jan/Feb issue of 2004. At that time, the draft report of the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) had been released for public comment. According to Dr Bruwer, the draft provoked quite a lot of criticism and elicited valuable input from a range of Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs). It led to an extensive, detailed survey of the affected buildings and a series of meetings with concerned parties. This work is currently being concluded and the final report of the HIA is due to be submitted to the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) at the end of February 2005.

In Dr Bruwer’s view the proposal for the precinct was bound to draw criticism. “We’re dealing with Johannesburg’s historical core – the original Market Square if we go back to the city’s earliest years. There are a lot of heritage resources involved.”

The GPG Precinct
The idea of a provincial government precinct was conceived with a view to bringing together the different departmental offices, currently housed in various buildings across the central business district, into a defined and cohesive zone. This would support interdepartmental co-operation and benefit public service efficiencies. The concept is expressed by the Tswana word kopanong meaning ‘coming together’, which conveys also the sense of a common home and the intention to create a precinct that fosters cultural integration.

Initially, eight possible locations for the proposed precinct were explored. The selected location was identified as the most appropriate of these, following a feasibility assessment which looked at spatial and procurement issues, geo-technical issues, traffic, heritage and environmental issues, amongst other factors.

The selected location incorporates the City Hall, now the home of the Gauteng Legislature, Beyers Naudé Square and the Johannesburg Public Library. It extends northward to Pritchard Street, south to Fox and part of Main Street, east to Rissik and west to Kort and part of West Street. Provincial government departments would occupy eleven buildings within the precinct. Four of these buildings are already owned by the provincial government. The balance would require extensive refurbishment to meet the GPG’s needs and standards. It is envisaged that the precinct would be developed via a public-private partnership, accommodating existing established commercial and institutional use and promoting further mixed use development.

The conceptual plans, prepared for the GPG by architects and urban designers Ngonyama Okpanum & Associates, propose substantial change to the existing urban landscape. Key elements include the extension of Beyers Naudé Square southward to Commissioner Street, the re-routing of part of Market Street underground – between Harrison and Kort Street, and the creation of a New Heritage Complex on the open site on Sauer Street – between Market and Com¬mis¬sioner – which is currently used for parking.

The overall aim is to establish a strong civic identity within the precinct, to strengthen the links between the civic anchors within it, and the links between the precinct and the surrounding city fabric.

The proposal to extend Beyers Naudé Square – “to substantiate [it] into a central public square as the symbolic heart of the civic precinct and of the inner city” – carries the greatest potential impact. It would entail the demolition of eight buildings on the city blocks bounded by Market, Commissioner, Simmonds and Sauer Streets, as well as the demolition of Clegg House on the southwest corner of Commissioner and Simmonds, and SARB House adjacent to it on Commissioner Street.

Heritage impact
The draft HIA Report was released in January 2004. Dr Bruwer says that it presented a preliminary assessment of the impact of the proposed GPG Precinct on the existing buildings and the urban fabric in the affected area of the city. He adds that, as a draft report, it was intended to gain a sense of public reaction to the proposal and to draw comment from interested and affected parties. This it did. Initial criticisms of the report suggested that it did not allow sufficient time for comment, that it was architecturally weighted and did not address the cultural and socio-economic heritage of the affected area adequately, and that the heritage resources should be assessed in greater detail.

Dr Bruwer admits that the draft report did indeed present a “snapshot view”, a summary architectural assessment of the historical buildings directly and indirectly affected by the proposed precinct. He emphasises, however, that the specific findings and recommendations noted in the draft report form the basis of the final report. “Our findings are broadly unchanged, although we now have a much more comprehensive record of the architectural and other significant features of the buildings, both externally and internally. We have also investigated their histories of ownership, use and changing tenancies, to prepare a clearer picture of their social and economic significance in the city’s heritage.”

The final report of the HIA will also include a record of the consultations held with key stakeholders – organisations such as the Egoli Heritage Trust, the Parktown & Westcliff Heritage Trust, the Institute of Architects of South Africa, and the City’s Department of Arts & Culture.

Dr Bruwer notes that discussions with these parties brought a lot of new and otherwise unrecorded information into the assessment process. “So much knowledge resides with the people who have lived through the history of the city and who have taken a particular interest in its cultural and architectural development. Their input spurred further investigations and alerted us to significant social issues as well as valuable cultural artefacts which are buried away in some of the buildings.”

The draft HIA Report notes ten buildings as “directly affected heritage resources”. These are the buildings that are proposed to be demolished to make way for the extended square. Of these, six were assessed as being of significant heritage value, two of limited significance and so not qualified as heritage resources, and two of no significant cultural value.

Directly affected heritage resources
New Library Hotel on the northwest corner of Commissioner & Fraser Streets, designed by architects Louw & Louw in the late 1930s in the Art Deco style, initially as an office building, subsequently converted to a hotel with substantial alterations made during the 1960s and ‘70s. Although this building is more than 60 years old and thus protected in principle by the SAHRA 60-year clause, the draft HIA Report does not qualify it as a heritage resource.

Second Rand Water Board building at 3 Fraser Street, between Custom House and the New Library Hotel, designed by architect Gordon Leith and completed in 1941. Later additions designed by Fassler and Howie. This building is referred to as the second Rand Water Board building simply because it was the second built for the utility. It is recognised as being of significant heritage value.

Custom House on the southwest corner of Market & Fraser Streets, facing Beyers Naudé Square, designed by architects Fassler & Howie, built 1967/ 68. This building is recognised as being of significant heritage value.

Absa (Volkskas) building at 74-76 Market Street, opposite Beyers Naudé Square, designed by architects Louw & Louw of Cape Town, completed in 1950, originally for Volkskas which later became part of Absa. This building was one of the first in Johannesburg representing Afrikaner capital finance. It is recognised as being of significant heritage value.

Absa building (formerly known as the RSA building) opposite Custom House, on the southeast corner of Market & Fraser Streets, a late modernist building designed by architects Mueller & Gehrig around 1952. In the draft HIA Report this building is not recognised as a heritage resource.

First National Bank building on the southwest corner of Market & Simmonds Streets, designed by architect Monty Sack, 1960 / 68, recognised as being of significant heritage value. It incorporates artworks by Eduardo Villa – notably the sculptural relief panels at pavement level on Simmonds Street – which are to be preserved.

Litorn House (now known as Thusanong) on the northeast corner of Commissioner & Fraser Streets, also designed by Monty Sack, 1959, and recognised as being of significant heritage value.

People’s Bank on the northwest corner of Commissioner & Simmonds Streets, designed by architects Stucke Harrison & Smail in1941. Despite quite substantial alterations made in 1972, this building is recognised as being of significant heritage value. It is located on the site of the original Johannesburg Stock Exchange, built in 1887, and houses artefacts from the old stock exchange.

SA Reserve Bank building (SARB House) at 78 & 80 Commissioner Street, designed by architects JC Cook & Cowen in 1934, in the Art Deco style. It was known originally as Transvaal House and only later as SARB House when it came to be used by the Johannesburg branch of the Reserve Bank. (The Reserve Bank was then based in the adjoining and so-called Old Reserve Bank Building, on the northwest corner of Fox and Simmonds, designed by Gordon Leith and opened in 1938. This building is now known as Matlotlo House.) Although older than 60 years the SARB building was assessed as being of limited cultural significance and is not qualified as a heritage resource.

Clegg House (formerly New Cluwer House) on the southwest corner of Commissioner & Simmonds Streets, was built at the same time as its neighbour, SARB House, and there is a sense of unity between the two buildings. Clegg House also adjoins the Old Reserve Bank Building and was used by the bank in later years. Originally known as Mercantile House, Clegg House was designed by architects JA (John) Moffat & Harvey. It is assessed as being of limited cultural significance and is not qualified as a heritage resource.

Indirectly affected heritage resources
The draft HIA Report also notes a number of historical buildings that would be affected indirectly by the development of the proposed precinct – in the sense that their context would be substantially altered. These include: the Johannesburg Public Library, The Cenotaph (now known as the War Memorial, commemorating not only those who died in the First and Second World Wars but also those who died in South Africa’s struggle for freedom and democracy) and its surrounding open space, and the City Hall. Numerous other historical buildings in the vicinity – along Market Street, Simmonds, Harrison, Loveday and Rissik Streets, Sauer and Kort Streets and President Street – are also noted as heritage resources that would be affected indirectly by the development of the GPG Precinct.

Overall assessment and recommendations
The draft HIA Report finds, in general terms, that:
*            the proposed precinct development would have an overall positive impact on Beyers Naudé Square;
*            the cumulative effect of the impact of the new open space on heritage resources would be limited; and
*            the ‘absorption capacity’ of the environment is high.
Dr Bruwer confirms that these findings still stand following the further work that has been undertaken by the heritage consultants in preparing the final HIA Report.

Specific concerns and recommendations noted in the draft report will be carried forward to the final report, with the argument for preservation – and the ways in which this might be done – elaborated upon quite extensively in certain cases. Some of the key concerns are outlined below.

The demolition of Clegg House and the SARB building would expose the north and west elevations of Matlotlo House. These elevations were not designed to be exposed and would therefore require careful treatment – in reworking the interface between this building and the public square and the precinct as a whole. Furthermore, the proposed introduction of a north-south passage between the GPG’s Shared Services building (adjacent, on Fox Street) and Matlotlo House could impose a significant heritage impact.

The freestanding vertical focal element proposed at the intersection of the principle structuring axes of the new square is noted with the concern that it could impact significantly on the heritage value of the environment.

Similarly, it is noted that the proposed Market Street underpass (between Harrison & Kort), carries a potentially significant heritage impact. While the report acknowledges the positive impact of the underpass – in that it would open Market Street to Beyers Naudé Square and the extended public open space – it calls for particularly careful treatment of the ingress and egress ramps to minimise their impact on neighbouring buildings and the immediate environment. The report also acknowledges the many positives associated with the proposed extended square and related considerations which would enhance the pedestrian spaces, including sidewalks, in the precinct.

The proposed skywalks are flagged as a concern. Their impact could be significant – particularly in terms of view lines and visual axes, the integrity of the urban landscape and of the respective buildings. Dr Bruwer emphasises that this is a particularly sensitive point in terms of potential impact. Although, the architects indicate that care would be taken to make the skywalks “transparent” and complementary to the buildings they would link, the risk of adverse impact remains high.

Recommended mitigation measures in respect of the buildings marked for demolition are currently being finalised to be included in the final HIA Report. These include possibilities such as: the construction of cubic podiums, using materials from the demolished buildings, on the sites of those buildings; the installation of preserved signage and/or other elements such as artworks; and production of comprehensive photographic records of the buildings for display in the New Heritage Complex.

Where buildings are to be demolished, potential damage to neighbouring buildings is also noted as a concern.

It must be said that the precinct plans do include proposals to commemorate some of the buildings that would be demolished. For example, it is proposed that the granite plinth of the Absa / Volkskas building be retained in-situ. The footprint of the Rand Water Board (RWB) building is proposed to be remembered in a children’s playground on the square. More controversial is the suggestion that the main street elevation of the RWB building should be preserved and incorporated into the Matlotlo complex.

The draft HIA Report concludes that although the impacts of the GPG Precinct will be substantial, they would be manageable. In addition, the cumulative effect of the precinct’s many potential impacts could be beneficial.

In central Johannesburg, 57% of the city area is built on; 40% is dedicated to streets; just 3% is given to public open space. An increase in public open space is seen as a major benefit for the city.

Conclusion
Commenting on the precinct plans, Dr Bruwer says, “There are no guarantees that it will work. My view is that we have to have enough confidence in the city itself, and enough trust in Johannesburg’s citizens, the city and provincial authorities, to make it work. Undoubtedly it will have a major impact on the CBD. It will need to be managed with caution and care. I believe the potential benefits for the city are substantial. And the alternative is likely further decline and decay.

“Once the HIA Report is finalised, it will be for SAHRA to weigh up the loss of heritage against the potential social and economic benefits of the proposed precinct and the future heritage value it may bring to the city.

“When it comes to heritage,” says Dr Bruwer, “one has to ask not only is it of value? But also, to whom is it of value? This is a complex question with no simple answers.”

“It is also important to recognise the city as a living entity,” says Catharina Bruwer. “Although a number of the buildings that are to be demolished are older than 60 years, those buildings themselves took the place of earlier buildings.”

She refers back to the original Market Square which would have been a stretch of mud or dust, with livestock gathered there weekly for trade or sale. The Post Office was built on the eastern edge of the square in the late 1890s. The City Hall, built in 1914, was the first building to encroach on the space of the square. By then the market had been moved to Newtown. The Cenotaph was unveiled in 1926. In the mid-1930s the Public Library was built, encroaching on the western edge of the square. Then Simmonds Street was driven through the middle of this public open space. In the late 1980s the square was disfigured by the interventions aimed at creating ‘a civic spine’ which turned the public space in on itself, barricading it from the surrounding streets. Since then, the grounds have not been well maintained by the city.

“Johannesburg’s central public square is today a hostile, uninviting place,” says Catharina. “Surely we can only improve on this.

“If we do not allow the city to change and grow, it will die.”

Environmental impact assessment
An Environmental Impact Assessment is required specifically in respect of the proposed construction of the Market Street underpass. The EIA is being carried out by Tswelopele Environmental. The scoping phase was to be concluded in mid-January.

Ilse Aucamp from Tswelopele Environmental comments that, in this urban context, the environmental concerns are relatively minor compared with the potential heritage impacts. Potential issues could include: dust and air pollution, noise, traffic, geo-technical considerations and ground stability, and stormwater.

The assessment of potential positive and negative impacts is being prepared as this issue of UGF goes into production. All comments from I&APs will be captured in an Issues and Responses Report (IRR) which, together with the Scoping Report, is due to be submitted to the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment by March 2005. DACE is then required to make a decision, in respect of the EIA, on whether or not the proposed development may proceed.

Strategic development guidelines
The conceptual framework for the proposed precinct is certainly ambitious – not least in anticipating “new public spaces, tree planting, fountains, water features… all to be immaculately maintained”. None the less, this project does represent a substantial commitment from the Gauteng Provincial Government to the Johannesburg inner city and its future, which must be lauded.

Documents supporting the precinct plans look at strategic policy and design guidelines for the GPG Precinct in relation to the Johannesburg Metro’s broad design strategies for the city. These documents indicate that careful consideration has been given to factors such as:
*            Coherent identity and visual legibility of the precinct
*            Development of surrounding urban form
*            Development of the public realm, including all levels of public transport and specifically the provision of pedestrian zones and the interface between cars and pedestrians
*            Safety and security
*            Management and maintenance.

The guidelines prepared by Ngonyama Okpanum set out the goals for the precinct and are intended to provide a set of references and criteria for developers and agencies – from both the public and the private sector. As the project would be “a collective work”, the guidelines aim to promote the coherent development of the precinct and to influence further development of the CBD. They do not represent a mandatory set of standards but a comprehensive framework of considerations which should serve as a guide for development proposals and for the authorities making decisions on such proposals.

The planned precinct is centred on the extended public square which will provide a place for community convergence and a breathing space in the city. The intention is to create three interlinked zones across this public space: a quiet area around the War Memorial, a large central area for public gatherings, concerts, celebrations, and an entertainment area around the proposed New Heritage Complex.

Links to the surrounding city fabric are to be strengthened, notably in acknowledging the north-south processional way along Rissik Street – linking the Provincial Legislature to the Metropolitan Centre on the Braamfontein Ridge, and potentially in an east-west ceremonial way along Fox Street – between the Magistrate’s Court and the Carlton Centre.

The civic identity of the precinct will be reinforced with uniform or co-ordinated paving, street furniture, lighting and signage.

While the proposal signals an intention “to respect the established character of the area by sensitive integration of buildings and places of civic significance, such as the City Hall, the War Memorial, City Library, Rissik Street Post Office”, it has the broader aim to promote the precinct as a celebration of Johannesburg’s history – from the indigenous people to the discovery of gold, the colonial era, apartheid, democracy – its cultural diversity and cosmopolitan character.

Efficient circulation, connectivity and accessibility for public and private transport are also highlighted as important factors, together with adequate provision for parking and management of the car/pedestrian interface. The square itself is envisaged as a pedestrian zone. On-street trading will be accommodated in designated areas within the precinct, along dominant pedestrian routes and in relation to existing street markets in the surrounding area.

Greening within the precinct will include planting of street trees, structural planting along pedestrian zones, smaller lawns and planters. A sunken, soft, grassed circular area with grassed steps is proposed around the War Memorial.

The disused fountains in front of the Public Library would be removed, as would the structures at the ramps leading off Market and President Streets to the underground parking garage beneath the present square. The intention is also to remove the row of trees along Market Street, between Simmonds and Sauer, to open up the vista across the full extent of the enlarged square.

Plans for the precinct include potential links between the new square and smaller pedestrianised urban spaces, such as on Hollard Street, Fraser Street, First Place/Kerk Street, Kort Street, Gardee’s Arcade, and Diagonal Street, as well as the Bank of Lisbon piazza, Standard Bank piazza, and Ernest Oppenheimer Park. The intention is to define this pedestrian network through uniform treatment and co-ordination of soft and hard landscaping, street furniture, lighting and signage.

One of the more startling aspects of the guidelines is the suggestion that advertising opportunities be created on the buildings that would front the square. Although there would be  “regulations for billboards on buildings” this idea seems to be in conflict with the intended civic nature of the square.

Another disconcerting aspect of the precinct plans is the proposed construction of skywalks – no less than five – to define the gateways to the civic precinct, “create appropriate enclosure of the square” and link various buildings around it. In the draft HIA Report these are noted as a concern.

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Drill Hall renewed
Severely damaged by fire and rescued from the threat of demolition, Johannesburg’s Drill Hall, built in 1904, has been revived. In its new form it introduces an open public square to the densely congested Joubert Park precinct and houses a number of social support agencies, as well as a branch of the military – as it did historically. Architect Michael Hart, who was appointed to the project team by the Johannesburg Development Agency, spoke to Urban Green File about the renewal and redevelopment of the site.

Hart worked with historian Sue Krige to research and understand the history of the Drill Hall and its place in the history of Johannesburg. This research formed the basis of the conservation management plan – which was a requirement from the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) for the project. It also formed the basis of the redesign of the site and the restoration and renewal of the historical buildings.

Hart was able to locate the original drawings of the buildings in a search that took him to the archives of the Department of Public Works, housed in an obscure building in the south of Johannesburg. Fortuitously, he says, all the archived drawings had recently been catalogued.

He also points out that extensive reference was made to the Burra Charter in assessing the cultural significance of the site and in consideration of how its history and the original buildings could be acknowledged, remembered and carried forward into its new form and new use.

The Burra Charter on the Conservation of Places of Cultural Significance, developed in Australia, is internationally recognised as a benchmark reference for conservation of historical buildings and cultural heritage. First drafted in 1979 it has since been updated and revised and incorporates a number of supporting documents that provide useful, practical guidelines on concerns such as defining cultural significance, conservation policy, and procedures for studies and reports.

Context
The Drill Hall is located in a much degraded, quite hostile and very busy part of the city. It is just south of the railway lines where the predominantly residential neighbourhood of Joubert Park interfaces with the central business district, and across the road from the Jack Mincer Taxi Rank which turns around 6 000 taxis a day. The roadways are dense with traffic and pavements are congested with commuters, street traders and retail displays which are set up outside the shops.

The site covers a city block, bordered by De Villiers Street, Quartz, Plein and Twist Streets. The taxi rank and the Union Square retail mall are located to the west, across Twist Street. (The Union Ground was originally a military parade ground and was in use as such up until the 1970s.) Abutting Quartz Street to the east is the old Ster Kinekor ‘Action Cinema’ complex, long abandoned and ripe for redevelopment. North of the Union Square shopping mall and the railway lines are the Johannesburg Art Gallery and Joubert Park. The park is one of the few green spaces in inner city Johannesburg that, although threatened by the urban decay of the surrounding environment, still functions as a recreational space – for commuters, neighbourhood residents and the chess players – and serves as business territory for photographers and street vendors. The park is also a vibrant centre for a number of community-oriented programmes, including the GreenHouse Project (UGF July/Aug 2001 and UGF WSSD July/Aug 2002), a crèche and community centre and clinic, and the Joubert Park Project (JPP) – the community arts initiative that has now taken up space in the renewed Drill Hall.

Interestingly, there is talk of retail facilities being extended from Union Square across a deck over the railway lines, which would establish a direct link to the art gallery and the park.

Challenges
With the brief from JDA calling for the creation of public open space as part of the renewal programme, one of the first challenges Hart faced was how to transform what had been essentially a private and specifically internalised military complex into an open public venue.

A further challenge was to identify new uses for the buildings that would be appropriate to the now public nature of the facility, its heritage status, its military history and the context in which it is located.

It was Hart who approached Johannesburg Child Welfare to ask if they would want to take up space in the refurbished south building, and The Community Chest as a potential tenant for the west building. The JPP, which was operating out of rented premises near Joubert Park, also welcomed the offer of dedicated space in the west building. These non-profit, community-oriented, social support organisations were seen as valuable in this high-density residential neighbourhood where social dysfunction, crime and abuse are rife. All the tenants, who have now taken occupation of their space, pay a nominal rental to the City. The redevelopment of the site and the buildings proceeded once these tenancies had been agreed, with the design being fine-tuned to meet defined use and specific needs. The Rand Light Infantry has returned to the north building, which functions as a separate military zone although its relationship with the public space is maintained.

Hart’s approach to re-conceptualising the site and the built space conveys a lightness of touch and demonstrates a clear respect for its history. The intention was not to rebuild what was there but to create a new place in the city that acknowledges the history of the site and incorporates the historical buildings. It was important too, in creating a public space, to establish clear visual and physical links with the surroundings. In 2004 Hart received a Project Award from the South African Institute of Architects for his work on this project.

A public square
The fires of 2001 and 2002 had destroyed most of the original hall – the central building in the complex – and the east building.

Approaching the site from Quartz Street, which has been newly paved along this stretch between Plein and De Villiers, one now faces an open square. That part of the site which was

occupied by the hall is now transformed into a paved public open space, which is protected from the surrounding hubbub by the north, south and west buildings.

The former east building, which housed the recreational wing of the military complex where ladies were entertained and games could be played, has been demolished. This space is reconceived as a forecourt to the main square and the footprint of the raised forecourt matches that of the old building.

The forecourt is planted with the indigenous Celtis africana (White Stinkwood) and benches built in red brick and finished with bullnosed pavers provide sturdy, comfortable seating for people wanting to take a break and watch the world pass by.

Here, concrete display panels remind us of various aspects of the site’s history. The panels were cast with corrugated iron on the inside edge of one side of the shuttering, so the sympathetic profile of this material provides a soft edge – and a memory of its widespread use, not only historically but still today, throughout the city.

Artists from the JPP have already made their mark on some of the panels which carry artworks – some in the style of the defiance posters of the time – depicting the treason trialists and the crowds who came to support their leaders through the preliminary arguments from the prosecution and the defence.

The older military history of the site is reflected in a panel that displays old, rusted guns and ammunition. Hart reports that the arms and ammunition date back to the World War periods and even the Anglo-Boer War. They were unearthed when the hall was demolished and excavations were undertaken to establish the foundations for the new square. The rusted guns are cast into the concrete panel and the aggregate has been chipped away to expose them against a rough background.

At the base of this panel are rocks that were also found during site excavations and that, apparently, formed part of the foundations of a native gaol which predated the construction of the Drill Hall. This building has, however, been largely lost to history.

Colonnades of Celtis africana have also been planted along Plein Street and along the southern edge of the square and will contribute to making this a restful green space in the city. Those bordering the walkway that runs between the square and the south building will shade the curved brick benches that have been newly built here.

The main square is framed by off-shutter concrete columns along its south and north edges. These columns are placed in line with those of the original hall and match their five-metre height. Even the original plinth level is remembered in the base line of the columns. The steel railings between the columns along the north edge of the square – a transparent barrier separating the military zone from the public space – follow the line of the arched window bays of the original hall. The columns carry the names of the 156 accused who, under arrest, were brought to the Drill Hall to attend the preliminary hearings in the Treason Trial.

At present, the square is entirely fenced but the railings on the east and south edges are low and lightweight and are designed to be removed so that the space will actually be open to the public. The concrete security fence that surrounds the site is also still in place but Hart says it is due to be dismantled early in the new year. It was kept in place during construction and as the new tenants settled in, and it must be said that the security risk remains high in this part of the city.

Currently, the site is only accessible from Quartz Street, off Plein. It seems clear that passers-by have not yet recognised it as a public square, quite possibly because of the presence of the Rand Light Infantry. People are, however, already aware of The Community Chest, Johannesburg Child Welfare and JPP facilities on the site and are visiting them.

While the military zone has its own pedestrian and vehicular access points off Quartz and Twist Streets, additional public access points will be opened on the western and southern edges of the site. Vehicular access along Quartz Street will be controlled.

The square extends up to the west building which has been partly cut away – where it was damaged by fire – although the footprint of the building is remembered and its north and south walls extend into the open square.

The underground rifle range, which runs beneath the square, was previously reached via a trapdoor in the floor of the hall. The entrance is now marked with a newly built curved wall – which may be used as a memorial wall by the military – and a podium has been built up behind it. The podium is reached by a series of wide concrete steps. Military or public gatherings in the square may be addressed from here. The extent of the rifle range is demarcated in the paving of the square and trafficable glass skylights at the entrance and the end of it are lit up at night.

The west building
The fire in 2002 destroyed the east façade of this building, the roof and most of the upper storey.

In the renewal of the west building the architect’s light-handed touch is evident. As well as the ground floor being cleaned and repaired from the effects of the fire, it has been fully refurbished, and the upper level has been recreated. A new steel structure is enclosed with glazed industrial steel window sections which are shaded under the deep eaves of a new steel roof with the traditional corrugated ‘S’ profile. The new upper storey is a gallery, flooded with natural light. The overall impression is one of transparency – a contemporary reinterpretation of what was there and an unambiguous statement that this part of the building is new.

Hart says he envisaged this reinterpretation as a thin veil of glass and steel, simply enclosing new uses. He worked with the significant design elements of the old building – the structure, the gables, amongst others – and translated these into a new form.

The new steel frame basically follows the former structure of the building although the roof structure has been modified – with the defining gables of the west elevation of the original building extended through to the east elevation, overlooking the square.

The first floor balcony on the west provides a shaded outdoor space, opening from the gallery. Here some of the original Oregon pine floorboards have been reused, with ‘new’ boards, cut from second-hand Oregon pine timber, put in place where necessary. The original balcony wall is in place and the repaired piers mark the placement and rhythm of the original columns while the new steel structure picks up on the wider structural bays supporting the gabled roof.

The gables are open at the apex (screened with a steel mesh) to provide for internal ventilation. Cushioned aluminium insulation is installed directly beneath the roof sheeting, above the roof structure. None of the buildings is air-conditioned.

Hart says that one of the problems encountered with this attempt at natural ventilation in the gallery is that the air in the vicinity is horribly polluted with traffic fumes and an unanticipated amount of grit and dust – which makes cleaning a regular necessity and a time consuming exercise. Noise pollution is also a problem, with the taxi rank right next door. Potential solutions are currently being investigated.

The JPP occupies the gallery space on the upper level of the west building. At the time Urban Green File visited the site, a photo exhibition was on display – a reflection of the city in transition. The JPP invited residents in the neighbourhood to participate in this project, provided training in how to use a camera, and asked the participants to record the environment in which they live. The exhibition presents their work – a memorable display of contemporary, inner city life in Johannesburg.

The JPP also runs outreach programmes for children in the neighbourhood and numerous innovative arts programmes – for both practised and aspiring artists – across a broad spectrum of drawing, painting, ceramics, sign-writing, theatre and other arts and crafts.

The organisation is also involved in the installation of a site plan, in mosaic, on the open ground floor section of the west building where it interfaces with the public square. This plan depicts how the site and the buildings on it have changed over time. Recesses in the new east wall of the building – which mark the window bays of the old façade – provide another ‘canvas’ that JPP artists will put to creative use to remember other aspects of the Drill Hall’s history.

The Community Chest is housed on the ground floor of the building, in newly refurbished offices where many of the original materials and fittings are still in place. The whole building has been rewired, re-plumbed and fully equipped with power, data and telecom cabling.

At present, only the east entrance to the building is open, from the square. However, once the concrete fence around the site is removed, the west entrance, from Twist Street, will also be used. This entrance is protected by steel fencing along the street and a security gate. The western arcade will then also become a usable space.

The south building
This single-storey red brick building survived the Drill Hall fires largely intact, although it was damaged by the smoke and heat. The building has seen an interesting history. When it was originally built in the 1920s, it was a limb factory, making prostheses for soldiers injured in the First World War. It later also housed other military medical services and at one stage served as an armoury.

Now cleaned, restored, upgraded and fitted with a new roof, the building is occupied by Johannesburg Child Welfare. It does not provide residential accommodation but will be used as a skills training facility by the organisation. Former technical workshops have been adapted to provide a sewing room and a computer room and a hairdressing training room is also provided. Here, children taken in by JCW can learn new skills that will assist them as they go forward in life.

The facility also provides showers and a kitchen and there is a possibility that it will provide food not only for abandoned children but also for other homeless people on the street.

One of the major architectural interventions is the new walkway that has been cut through the south building. Hart says he had to argue strongly with SAHRA for this alteration of the original building. His argument is that it is important, in creating a public space, to offer people options for entry and exit. “People will not go into a place unless they can see a way out,” he says. This stepped walkway opens a view and a route into square from Plein Street, and a way out.

The north building
The double-storey building along the north edge of the site is now once again occupied by the SA Defence Force – it is used by the Rand Light Infantry.

Like the other buildings, this building had to be cleaned after the fires and the years of neglect and abuse. The brickwork was cleaned using high-pressure water jets and an acid cleaning agent, interiors were scrubbed down and repainted, and fittings repaired or replaced where necessary. The building has also been equipped with new wiring, cabling and plumbing and has been re-roofed. Most of the Oregon pine windows and external doors had to be replaced, but the ‘new’ fittings, like some of those in the west and south buildings, have been made from second-hand Oregon pine timber, in the same design as the original windows and doors. Close up one can see that the timber is newly cut but from a distance all the windows and doors look like the originals.

Why not housing?
One of the questions that has been raised about the renewal of the Drill Hall is why it wasn’t converted to provide housing when there is clearly such a pressing demand for residential accommodation in the area. Many of the residential buildings in Joubert Park and Hillbrow are extremely overcrowded and poorly maintained. Many people live on the street, seeking out whatever shelter they can find.

Hart’s response to this is that as a heritage site, the Drill Hall complex was not appropriate for housing. It was adaptable to community use and public space and he emphasises that social support services and people places are very much needed in the city, especially with the continuing densification of residential use.

“There is a strong drive, in the council and from other city agencies, for transformation in the inner city and economic development, including the development of residential buildings. But wherever people live, you need the support systems and structures that make living there practical, and even a pleasure – provided the economic opportunities and social and recreational amenities are in place. You need schools and clinics and open space, as well as facilities for people with special needs, for orphans and the homeless.

“The development of housing on its own in the city centre could not be sustainable. Cities need to take account of every aspect of people’s lives, not just accommodation. And residential accommodation, as much as any other aspect of the city, is still threatened by our dysfunctional society. We need to address these social dimensions before we can make real progress. There’s a lot of talk about transforming the city, but we need a holistic plan and a holistic approach to make it work.”

Project team
Client: Johannesburg Development Agency
Architects: Michael Hart Architects, Urban Designers
Historian: Sue Krige, Heritage and Tourism Consultants
Quantity surveyors: Bahm Tayob Khan & Mutanda
Consulting structural engineers: NDK Consulting Engineers
Consulting electrical engineers: Nala Consulting Engineers
Fire engineers: Fire Management & Design Services
Main contractor: Blackstone Projects
Specialist contractors: Orejen Replica Antique Windows and Doors (Oregon windows and doors), Lorna Doone Creative Arts (Pewter name plates)

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A solution for acid mine water drainage
South Africa is responsible for a world first in the treatment of acid mine water drainage. The most cost effective, environmentally-friendly, robust biological treatment option in the world, aimed at reducing sulphates in acid-rich mine water without the external addition of chemicals, was launched at ERWAT’s Ancor works outside Springs on 18 January 2005, this year.

Developed by Rhodes University’s Environmental Biotechnology Group, over the past eight years, with the support of the Water Research Commission, the East Rand Water Care Company (ERWAT) and BioPAD, the Rhodes BioSURE Process® removes sulphates from acid rich mine water. Instead of expensive carbon fuel sources, primary sewage sludge, a by-product from ERWAT, is being used. The two waste products used in conjunction ensure that the water quality is improved before it is discharged into the Blesbokspruit Ramsar site.

In terms of Article 3.2 of the Ramsar Convention, the Blesbokspruit Ramsar site was placed on the Montreux Record in 1996, because the ecological character of this unique wetland was threatened by pollution from mine water discharge.

Grootvlei Proprietary Mines Ltd is one of the last remaining gold mines operating within the East Rand Mining Basin in Gauteng. Underground mine dewatering is required to gain safe access to gold deposits. Mine water is pumped at an average rate of 75Ml a day and is currently treated at a High Density Separation plant to remove iron and condition pH levels, before it is discharged into the Blesbokspruit.

According to the managing director of Petrex, the holding company of Grootvlei mine, Martin Schermers, the Rhodes BioSURE Process is a step towards treating the total volume of water discharged and to restoring the ecological character of the river. This would mean that, with time, the Blesbokspruit wetland would have the opportunity of being removed from the Montreaux Record and regaining its status. 

Grootvlei Mine is the client and ERWAT the service provider. A pilot plant, which was an existing plant that was retrofitted in collaboration with Prof Peter Rose of Rhodes University, is in operation at ERWAT’s Ancor wastewater care works, and Grootvlei supplies the mine water by means of a pipeline. ERWAT is responsible for project management during implementation and for the process design in collaboration with Rhodes University. Keyplan is a chemical engineering consultancy that will give input on any chemically related aspects, and ARQ Consulting Engineers will be responsible for the civil and structural engineering work. 

The BioSURE Process treats the already partially treated acid mine water drainage from the HDS plant at Grootvlei Mine. It is focussed primarily on the removal of sulphate and the subsequent removal of residual metals from the HDS plant. Primary sewage sludge, sourced from ERWAT’s Ancor wastewater care works, provides the electron donor/carbon source for biological sulphate reduction, producing hydrogen sulphide and carbonate alkalinity. Residual soluble metals from the HDS plant are then precipitated as metal sulphides. The effluent from the biological reactor is then treated in a crystalliser to remove the excess sulphide as a metal sulphide precipitate. The effluent from the crystalliser contains residual soluble organic material and nitrogenous compounds (such as ammonia) that are treated in the existing conventional wastewater treatment processes.

Pat Twala, managing director of ERWAT, says that the Rhodes BioSURE Process is significantly cheaper than any other alternative, reducing costs from about R5/kl to about R1/kl opex. The technology has been fully developed and the demonstration plant is operational, with results indicating performance equivalent to the best alternative technology.

He highlighted the benefits of the process as being:
*            the removal of heavy metals and radioactive elements;
*            breaking down of aromatic pollutants;
*            destroying pathogens;
*            providing an unusually robust biotechnological solution;
*            with a waste output of a safe humus/compost material;
*            which can be customised to suit any requirements;
*            has low capital and operational costs; and
*            is the lowest cost solution for acid mine drainage.

Prof Peter Rose gave a short account of the history of the project, commenting that mine water problems had been particularly resistant to a solution and that the mines of Roman times were still generating acidity. He thanked the vast team, including government representatives, that had worked with Rhodes on the process, which was now producing a water quality fit for surface water discharge. He said that the WRC was looking at possibilities of using the water in a sustainable agriculture project which would be employment-creation based.

The process was officially launched at Ancor by Prof Dennis Goldberg, special ministerial advisor, on behalf of the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, Buyelwa Patience Sonjica. He said, talking about sustainable development: “Mining contributes significantly to the GDP of this country….. but, at the same time, may leave a bad environmental legacy, if the environmental management policies are not implemented well. Our mining resources must be developed but in an environmentally responsible manner. The pollution of surface water resources, worldwide, with acid mine drainage, generally results in geotechnical trauma induced by mining or quarrying operations involving sulphide containing ore bodies. The effects of this new biologically driven process may be far-reaching for the environment in general, including the water environment. Pollution will escalate where sand, coal, gold and diamonds are mined, and will become difficult to address if not prevented and managed during the mining activities. Abandoned operations already require major clean-up commitments from government.

“The issue has become thorny in recent years, with the decline and closure of the Witwatersrand gold mines. Defunct mines in the area are filling up and consequently decanting increasingly large volumes of low grade saline and heavy metal polluted water. The water finds its way into the Vaal River system of the East Rand basin – and it is this same water that is needed to drive economic growth there. This problem will become worse and will last for many decades and even for centuries, if we do not provide innovative solutions to address it.

“This acid and saline water causes severe problems as the vast majority of natural life is designed to live and survive in neutral and not acid water. The drainage acidifies the local water courses and either kills or limits the growth of the river ecology. Effects are even more pronounced on vertebrate life such as fish, than they are on the plant and unicellular life. The net result is that the health of the environment is significantly affected. The prevention, and where this is not possible, treatment of acid mine drainage are, therefore, crucial issues.   

“It is thus an honour for me to participate in the launch of this novel process where problematic water from Grootvlei mine and sewage sludge, that often lands untreated in our water resources, are now being combined in a process, introduced at the Ancor Sewage works, to produce water that is fit for use …. Providing us with another proudly South African success story.”