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Stakeholders give Church Square a face lift
City Property, the metro and partnering organisations recently collaborated to give Church Square a spring clean-up.
The large-scale initiative took place on September 6 forming part of City Property’s Church Square Revival Project (CSRP).
The CSRP is a public-private community initiative working towards the rejuvenation of Church Square as a tourist destination and public space. The project is driven by residents as well as the private and public sector, Tshwane, Capital Collective NPO, TMPD, SAPS, the Pretoria Society of Advocates and City Property Administration.
In addition to the clean-up, stakeholders also installed new solar lighting around the square to illuminate the area.
This comes after Tshwane Mayor, Cilliers Brink recently announced that over 4 000 streetlights have been repaired and maintained primarily in the inner city since July.
City Property marketing director Lize Nel said the clean-up reaffirms their commitment to the revival of Church Square.
“We even had some of the people from the city coming to help: students and people just walking about would stop and help so it was really special. We obviously couldn’t have done it without the help of the city of Tshwane,” said Nel.
Volunteers swept and cleaned around the square from 08:00 and a high-pressure water team was brought in to clean the paving as well.
Nel believes the clean-up is an example of the good that public and private entities can do if they collaborate.
“I think it shows you what can happen when the public and private sectors come together. For instance, we got the team from the City of Tshwane to fit the solar lights. The solar lights were donated by one of our suppliers and another supplier helped make the bracket that fits around it. So, it’s nice to see everyone coming together to do their little bit to improve the city,” Nel said.
She said that residents should keep an eye out for the multiple Church Square walks that are coming soon.
Residents can see sights such as the Palace of Justice where Madiba was held in a cell during the Rivonia Trial, including some of the first writings of the Freedom Charter on the cell walls.
Other buildings include the Ou Raadsaal, the Standard Bank Chambers, the Volksbank building and the Tudor Chambers.
Nathi Shabangu, a stakeholder liaison for the Department of Cooperative Governance & Traditional Affairs (Cogta) said he hopes the community is encouraged to look after the environment following the clean-up.
“At the end of the day, this is an asset to the community. It has to be a place that the community can come and enjoy, kids were playing around here, the place looks beautiful and it sends a message, to look after yourself and your environment,” Shabangu said.
Civic Education Ambassador team leader, Goitsemang Shai said there is a need to clean up our own environment as continually living in filth is not sustainable.
“We can’t always be walking and seeing litter around us every day. We need to have a safe and clean space so we can live healthily.
Church Square was so dirty and we had to come and support. Residents need to be responsible for themselves. Being responsible doesn’t need money or anything, it just needs you to pick up after yourself,” Shai said.
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