- Staff writer
SALI GAUTENG'S COMMUNITY PROJECT
Updated: Aug 16, 2022
Ethafeni Park in Tembisa, Gauteng, is SALI’s community responsibility project for 2022/23.
It was designed by landscape technologists Sizwe Mbazima and Mandisa Lukhele. Mia Marsay of Over the Garden Wall was involved in a consultative capacity as a SALI Gauteng EXCO member.
The park design includes community recreational activities and community gardening, and a practicing vegetable garden will benefit the surrounding community of Ethafeni. An existing netball court has been improved and a basketball court for the youth community has been added. There is an existing outdoor gym and a children’s play area. The park design has transformed an abandoned building into a useful facility for the community and can be used for things such as local art displays and exhibitions.
New vegetation species have been introduced, such as Aloe and Tulbaghia. The former are indigenous and beautiful accent plants, and the latter will form a border around the vegetable garden for pest control. Both are low maintenance and water-wise. In the new vegetable garden space, there will be green onions, garlic, peas, spring onions, spinach, kale and green peppers for winter crops and beetroot, cucumber, red onions, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, lettuce, spinach and pumpkin for summer crops. Herbs have also been included.
