Drought an opportunity to support activities with socio-economic goals

As several parts of the country, the province and the city grapple with water shortages, some dire, I wondered what this meant for me.

Despite living a largely green lifestyle, I am an avid gardener and take particular pleasure in my vegetable patch. Last month I successfully harvested the most gorgeous green and purple-hued artichokes, which fed my family and friends for many days. Now, as summer is upon us and tighter water restrictions loom, I’ve come to the hard decision that I will not be planting for the season ahead.

Just as I’d reached the decision about my garden, I heard about the Good Company Farmers Market that opened in the Company’s Garden on November 28. Situated in the

Bulelwa Makalima-Ngewana Paddock’s area, this initiative is very appropriate given the original use of this space, though I must add that unlike in the colonial past of our city when bitter almond hedges were reputably planted to keep the Khoisan out, this market welcomes all comers to the space.

Now I know where I can source my fresh vegetables and fruit and other artisanal or handmade products this summer since the market will be open every Saturday.

As Shelley Mileham, the woman behind the market, says: “With water restrictions, it is not possible for many people to grow their own produce. This market is the next best thing if it’s important to know where your food comes from.” Make sure to check out the Good Company Farmers Market at our next City Walk Saturdays event on December 19.

The first City Walk Saturdays event was launched on April 18, 2015. Prior to the launch, we promised a storytelling route that encompasses the Company’s Garden, St George’s Mall, up the Fan Walk (Waterkant Street) to St Andrew’s Square – or the City Walk.

City Walk was designed to explore how history and heritage, formal and informal retail strategies, the activation of public spaces along with public art could contribute to a 24-hour city.

This vision, I should note is one shared by several of our stakeholders and others who see the importance of having a vibrant city at all times of day, which is good not only for the economy, but for the greater good of society.

Over the past months, we’ve delivered a storytelling route and more. In addition to our signature literary event, #100AfricanReads, public art live installations that allow members of the public to interact with any of the performers reading 100 books by African authors along the way, we have since partnered with Juta Publishers to bring the Juta Reading Circle, which brings storytelling to the Company’s Garden for children.

Several other wonderful and strange activities that have popped up during City Walk Saturdays include Capoeira displays, tango and swing dance sessions, group yoga and meditation, puppets, mimes, magicians, dramatic performances, music in a multitude of genres, giant Scrabble, Jenga and dominoes, skateboarders, knitters, drummers, buskers, cardboard creators – not to mention the 25 public art interventions that took place along the Fan Walk during the October edition of City Walk Saturdays.

In 2016 the Cape Town Partnership will increasingly focus on ensuring that wherever you come from in Cape Town, or the world for that matter, you’ll feel a sense of ownership in the central city. Furthermore, we aim to ensure that wherever you may live in the broader Cape Town area, there will be safe and inviting public spaces to make your own. This is part of our people-centred approach to placemaking, which will form the main thrust of our activities in the coming months and years.

As the Project for Public Spaces writes: “Building inclusive, healthy, functional, and productive cities is perhaps the greatest challenge facing humanity today. There are no easy solutions. And yet a key part of the puzzle lies right in the heart of the world’s urban areas: the public spaces.”

I am also gladdened by the Mayor of Cape Town’s Mayoral Urban Regeneration Programme (MURP) that focuses on the regeneration of several identified areas within Cape Town. One of the lessons we’ve learned in the 16 years of the Partnership’s existence is that placemaking cannot occur without the basics in place. Often this means that a space first needs to be safe, secure and clean before it can truly welcome the public. I look forward to taking these lessons further into the broader metro, since Cape Town’s central city can no longer afford to be an island of prosperity in a sea of need. Part of our work will include incubating new and fledgling organisations with similar socio-economic goals. Again, watch this space! I am so excited.