The Edith Stephens Wetland Park is a joint initiative between the City of Cape Town, the Table Mountain Fund and the National Botanical Institute.  Extensive rehabilitation of the site has taken place, including the removal of alien tree species through Working For Water, and the planting of indigenous species.  An outdoor amphitheatre has been created for the hosting of events, such as music, dance and theatre.  This provides an opportunity for the local community to showcase its talents.

One of the key attractions, particularly for botanists, is the species of Isoetes that is endemic to Edith Stephens.  This means that it occurs nowhere else on earth, making Edith Stephens one of the botanical 'hot spots' of the Cape Flats.  Botanists from Europe have been known to travel to South Africa, just to see this species.  Edith Stephens is also the ideal venue for bird watchers, as the wetlands area attracts many different species of birds.  Local universities are involved in developing a species list for the Park.

Edith Stephens combines a unique rehabilitation and conservation story with that of social development and community partnerships.

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]]> 18.54789924621582031,-34.00260162353515625 Golden Flowers is a heartwarming personal story of an innovative and creative solution to an environmental problem.  The project is located in a shack in Khayelitsha.  Golden established his business of making flowers from tin cans because of a dream that he had for three nights in a row.  The story of how he came to make flowers from waste is one of courage and innovation, and is a challenge to the rest of us.  Visitors can watch Golden at work and his flowers are on display in his work area.

Golden’s children help him by painting some of the wide range of flowers in bright colours.  Although quite a shy individual, Golden will explain exactly how long it takes to make each type of flower.  His story is also printed on a card, which is handed out with purchases.

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]]> 18.71229934692382812,-34.04309844970703125 Imvubu Nature Tours is based at Rondevlei Nature Reserve and was enabled through funding provided by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.  Imvubu handles all tourism aspects at Rondevlei, which is a Nature Reserve that was established in 1952 and is a paradise for nature lovers and bird-watchers. It offers viewing of a vast diversity of plant and bird species.  Visitors can take a guided walk through the reserve to stop at bird hides and observe various plant species along the way.  There are fifteen endangered plant species at Rondevlei and 230 bird species have been counted.

The reserve has an environmental education centre, which is attended mainly by children from the communities of the Cape Flats.  Hence, many of these children come from poor communities and visits to the environmental education centre provide one of their rare opportunities to observe nature and learn more about the natural environment.  The reserve has a reptile and fish display, as well as a museum.  The reserve is also home to a family of hippos – the only hippos in the Western Cape Province, and small mammals such as caracal, porcupines, cape fox, grysbuck, steenbuck, mongoose and otter.
 
Facilities in the area include overnight accommodation on a secluded island in the vlei (a ‘vlei’ being a marshy lake area).  A conference venue and boma function venue complete the facilities available.  Plans for the future include a curio shop, restaurant, a khoi village and a 110-seater conference venue. 

Imvubu Tours are the tour operators in the reserve and is a community-based company, with a percentage of the profits being placed in an environmental education fund for the local community.   All tour guides are from previously disadvantaged communities and have been specially trained to guide visitors around Rondevlei.

Facilities at Rondevlei:

Conference Centre: Conferences can be organised in the modern 50-seater conference centre.  Combine business with nature in this self-contained, fully-catered centre that has state-of-the-art equipment.

Boma: A natural venue for a special occasion, the boma has seating for 70 people and is the ideal venue for weddings and parties.  Full catering is available.

Island Bush Camp: This rustic island bush camp provides visitors with the opportunity to view the Rondevlei hippo, relax around the boma bar, or lie on the open deck watching the evening sky.  Self-catering or fully-catered options are available.

Tours and services through Imvubu:

Fishing:  Rondevlei offers some of the best carp and barbel fishing in the Western Cape. Tackle can be hired for overnight fishing on the island or on an hourly / daily basis.

Interpretive tours: Imvubu offers a variety of full-day, half-day and specialised package tours to suit every interest.  Full-day tours include visits to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, Cape Point, the Boulders penguin colony, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and Rondevlei.  Full-day birding tours generally include a trip to the Strandfontein treatment works.  Half-day tours at Rondevlei are interpretive walks to restricted parts of the reserve.  The availability of specialist and multi-talented guides make it easy to tailor-make tour packages that can include birding, whale-watching and night game drives.

Boat Trips: A sunset cruise on Rondevlei while sipping your favourite sundowner and viewing the vlei’s hippo population is a must.  Morning cruises include a tea stop on the southern shore – a favourite spot for amateur and advanced birders.

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]]> 18.48929977416992188,-34.06250000000000000 The Lwandle Migrant Labour Museum is situated in the Strand area, approximately 55km from the city centre.  The museum was established in 2000 to commemorate migrancy in South Africa.  Migrant workers were a large feature of the South African economy during apartheid as many people came to the cities to find work, then returning to the so-called ‘homelands’ during their vacations.  Hostels were built to house the labourers when they lived in Cape Town, leaving their families in the homelands.  These hostels were upgraded as part of the Government’s Reconstruction and Development Programme after the end of apartheid and now house families.  Solar water-heating systems have been installed in the upgraded hostels.  One of the hostels has been retained in its original state and serves as a museum to exhibit the living conditions of the migrant labourers.   The museum is the only township-based museum in the Western Cape province.

An art and crafts centre and the Hector Petersen Memorial Library are both within walking distance of the museum.   A township walk can be arranged through the museum.  Cultural activities such as choral music, drama and dance can be organised with the local community.  A cup of tea can be served to visitors and can be combined with listening to the history of the community.  The museum building also has a small conference venue, seating up to 50 people.  The museum project represents a partnership between the community, Cape Metropolitan Tourism, Western Cape Tourism and the Arts & Culture Trust of the President

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]]> 18.86569976806640625,-34.12329864501953125 Montebello Design Centre is a non profit organization established from a financial and property bequest from Cecil Michaelis. The project is situated in the old farm buildings of the historic site of Montebello in Newlands.  The buildings and land have a colourful history, being the birthplace of Ohlssens Brewery and Continental China.

Montebello is a development projected aimed at promoting good local design and using craft for job creation. 

The project takes the following form:

  • An adult and child education programme for the general public;
  • On-site craft and design studios and businesses;
  • On-site exhibition areas, shop and a restaurant, and
  • A job creation outreach programme with draft and design in township and rural areas.

Some of the projects were initiated by Montebello, whilst others existed but needed assistance.  Montebello provides on-going product development, training and marketing assistance to a wide range of producer groups.

These groups include ceramic works’ textile workers, weavers, bead, tin, wire and forge work’ the alien vegetation furniture-making projects and the ‘work from waste’ project.  The central Montebello shop offers a wide range of projects made on site and items produced through various outreach programmes.

Classes and courses offered at Montebello include African Music and Dance, jewellery making, ceramics, painting and weaving.  The Gardener’s Cottage restaurant is open for breakfasts, lunches and teas as well as for private functions in the evenings by prior arrangement.

The history of Montebello:

The Montebello Estate has an interesting history featuring some prominent Capetonians.  The Montebello homestead and stables were built on what was part of Papenboom Estate on land granted to Rutger Mensing in 1764.  Mensing was the first brewer in the area, making use of the abundance of fresh spring water.  The estate was passed to successive owners before eventually being divided.  The portion of the land that became known as Montebello was bought by Daniel Cloete, who built the original house (now used by a school) and ran a renowned brewery.

In 1888, a prominent Capetonian of Swedish descent, Anders Ohlsson, purchased the brewery and associated buildings and stables.  Maximillian Michaelis purchased the Montebello estate from Ohlsson in 1919.  His son, Cecil, conducted experiments in the old Montebello stables to produce the fine local porcelain that gave birth to the now flourishing South African ceramics industry.  Cecil successfully contested attempts to expropriate the land on which the fine stables stand and an adjacent wooded area.  His bequest of the land and buildings made the Montebello Design Centre possible.

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]]> 18.45756721496582031,-33.97035980224609375 The Oude Molen Village is located on the site known as Valkenberg East, near the suburb of Pinelands.  The site comprises numerous buildings and large park-like gardens and is bordered by sensitive wetlands alongside the Black River.  The village was created with the aim of establishing a working model of a sustainable eco-village and to encourage an environment of respect and consideration for people, nature and diversity. 

Oude Molen is a micro-enterprise village comprised of approximately 70 tenants representing a diverse range of businesses such as artists, woodworkers, music studios, photographers, a training centre and a frail-care centre.  All together, the tenants provide employment for approximately 300 people.

The aim of the village is to demonstrate how under-utilised public assets can be used in an integrated way to provide business and employment opportunities, thereby addressing poverty.  Hence, the village has been developed with the synergies between small businesses in mind.  For example, some of the wood from a tree-felling business is used by another business to make garden furniture. 

There are a number of buildings that are of historic interest – a vegetarian restaurant is located in one that has been renovated.  Other buildings are vacant and have become rundown, with future plans being to restore and revive historical Oude Molen.  The letting of office space, fairs and festivals, the farmstall sales and other activities in the area supply the funding for the project to make it self-sustainable.

Future plans involve the upgrading of the Black River and of the wetland area, which is located on the Oude Molen Village site.  At present, horse riding and nature walks can be arranged.  Recycling initiatives and the development of alternative energy sources are also projects in their early stages.

The project also demonstrates a working farm in the urban environment. Particular items of interest are:

  • Organic farming – with the vegetables grown being transported by horse and cart into neighbouring suburbs.  Permaculture techniques are used for some of the gardens; and
  • Bee-keeping – visitors can observe the bees and the honey-making process and hear the social behaviour of the bees explained.

The ultimate aim is to establish an economically sustainable micro-enterprise eco-village that is able to showcase how government / community / business partnerships are able to address a wide range of national priorities such as job creation, youth development, occupational therapy, environmental education, arts and cultural interaction, micro-enterprise development, and the demonstration of eco-friendly energy and technology.

The History of Oude Molen:

The area was originally used by Khoi pastoralists for cattle grazing before colonial occupation in 1652, with the confluence of the Black and Liesbeck Rivers playing an important role in Khoi ceremonies.  The area was then used as military barracks until the 1920’s, when a psychiatric hospital was built.

The east side of the hospital was closed in the late 1990’s and the land was transferred to the Department of Property Management.  The buildings had been heavily vandalised and gutted while under the custodianship of the Department of Health.  A private company was then given a mandate to optimise the use of the buildings and land.  The short-term leasing of the buildings to tenants involved in micro-enterprises, was one of the steps that contributed towards the exploration and creation of an inclusive and holistic vision for the premises.

The company, Project Development Services, was committed to the alleviation of poverty through sustainable social, economic and environmental developments and initiated a vision that sought to integrate the aspirations of the key role-players at the time, including the city council and the tenants.  This vision remains the focus of the Oude Molen Village.

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]]> 18.49010086059570312,-33.93920135498046875 The Tsoga Resource Centre was established in 1994 to provide environmental education and training.  In addition, there is a recycling centre and a small market garden.  There are some crafts available at the centre – some made from waste materials such as plastic bags. 

Tsoga works closely with the local community on issues such as littering, food gardening and the greening of parks.  The centre trains people in methods of growing vegetables, so that they are able to do so in their own gardens.

Township walks can be organised through the centre.  This project involves the youth from the local community.  Tour guides have been trained and any income that is generated is invested in the further development of their skills in the tourism sector.

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]]> 18.52750015258789062,-33.94340133666992188 The Victoria Mxenge project provides an opportunity to observe what a group of women achieved through their own initiative.  Assisted by Abalimi Bezekhaya and the Homeless People’s Federation, this is a story of women initiating a project to provide homes for their families, as they did not want to wait for the government subsidy.  These women learned skills in all aspects of house building and have subsequently built houses.  They initiated a savings scheme as a means of providing finance for the project.
Local Arts & Crafts are available at the nearby community centre and the Derek Hanekom Centre is located in the area – a house of historical significance.

Victoria Mxenge was the first phase of a three-phase development (known as the Philippi Triangle) that was driven by the South African Homeless People’s Federation. At VMX, visitors will meet the uTshani Federation Tour guide who will guide a tour of Victoria Mxenge, relate the history of the Philippi Triangle, how the Federation negotiated for the land and how they paid for it, how they developed the site plans, made the bricks and built their own houses.  Guests will also visit one or two of the houses where they may partake in tea and cake or even a traditional home-made meal.  Visits to the Federation’s learning centre, which is situated in VMX, are also welcome. Here visitors can meet Federation members who produce beadwork as a means to generate an income.

Throughout the tour, the Federation tour guide will relate the stages of how community participation in the planning process of VMX was maximised at all times.  Visitors will see the results for themselves - living environments in which the residents have invested their own resources, energy and pride. These are the ingredients that the saving schemes bring to the Federation development process – the ingredients that have already made Victoria Mxenge, which is the core of the Philippi Triangle, into one of the best known examples of women centred development in the world. In 1997, the United Nations honoured the Victoria Mxenge community and its leadership as one of four leading examples of people-driven poverty alleviation programmes in the world.

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]]> 18.54010009765625000,-34.00989913940429688 The creative output at Philani is an offshoot of the staff’s attempts to alleviate malnutrition and unemployment. Poverty, violence, instability and unemployment are central to life in the townships and informal settlements. Destitute mothers and malnourished children form the most vulnerable group within these communities.

Philani’s aim is to empower destitute families to ensure they become self-sufficient. With the help of government social workers the centre admits underweight children to its nutrition project and simultaneously provides training opportunities to their mothers.

Philani’s weaving section makes rag mats from waste fabric and sells them at craft markets in and around Cape Town. The Flagship project offers skills training and printing facilities to unemployed mothers with pre-school children.

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