Yeoville has long been known as South Africa’s pre-eminent bohemian enclave. But today Yeovillites fear for the future of their suburb.
Overcrowding, informal trading, unlicensed nightclubs and rampant drug dealing have come to represent a widespread social unravelling.
To save Yeoville from falling victim to Johannesburg’s inner-city urban decay, the Yeoville Community Development Forum (YCDF) has embarked on various developmental projects.
The residents of Yeoville are planning environmental projects which will hopefully halt the downhill slide. The YCDF believes that environmental initiatives are important in uplifting the social conditions in the suburb.
“Community gardens is one effective way of empowering people to find creative solutions to social deprivation and decay of their community,” says Brendan Jacklin of YCDF.
Vacant land in Yeoville and the neighbouring Bellevue, Bellevue East, Randview and Highlands has been earmarked for redevelopment for vegetable gardens. Each gardener will be allocated a 2m x 3m allotment, compost and seed. Ten percent of their returns will go back to the project.
To speed up the process, a community garden at the Yeoville Creation Centre has already been established with the help of Creation Centre staff.
“Food production is strongly encouraged, to create an awareness of how to alleviate poverty,” says Jacklin.
Hopefully community gardens will encourage a secondary economic activity in the form of selling freshly grown vegetables at the soon- to-be established Yeoville traders’ market.
Last month, the area played host to the launch of the national Integrated Pollution and Waste Management Campaign – the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism’s programme aimed at cleanness, poverty alleviation and job creation.
According to Deacon Mathe, an adviser to Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism Pallo Jordan, the waste management policy adopted by Parliament last year will involve all stakeholders, including businesspeople, schools, community-based organisations and NGOs.
“Local people both in urban and rural areas will be encouraged to collect waste material, which will be sold to major recycling companies. The finance will be used to further the project’s programmes, such as environmental education,” says Mathe. “The department will spend about R2-million on each provincial project.”
Another major initiative is the Yeoville 2000 vision. The objective is to revive the economy of the area and meet the consumer needs of Yeovillites. The Rockey Raleigh Management Committee, consisting of the community, the council and the police Service, has been set up to work on this.
The YCDF has identified vigorous law enforcement by the council and the police as the best way create a climate in which the economy can begin to grow and attract business.
One major development is the planned Yeoville traders market in Raleigh Street. It was initiated by the Inner City Committee, which consists of representatives of the Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Council and four other local councils. The R5,5-million market will be one of eight markets to be developed in the city.
“The market will provide proper facilities for current Yeoville traders and their customers,” says Graeme Reid, acting inner city manager. “We hope that the market will minimise the space problems on the pavements and improve the public environment.”
More environmental initiatives are in the pipeline, including a recycling depot, a nature reserve, a nursery and a cultural tourism site. Funding will determine the establishment of the major projects, such as the nature reserve and a cultural tourism site.
While environmental programmes are regarded as an essential vehicle in uplifting the social conditions in Yeoville, the residents still have to deal with crime. The most reported crimes in the area are housebreaking, assault and car theft. “We and the Yeoville Police Forum are working together to deal with the problems,” says Superintendent Jameson Radingoana of the Yeoville police station.
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