Leading clay brick and paving manufacturer Corobrik has donated 250 m2 worth of paving for the Europe Informal Settlement Upgrade Project in Cape Town. Such has been the impact on the quality of life of the local community that the public plaza for which the bulk of the paving was allocated for is already being used for soccer, games and social gatherings, says Chandré Abrahams, Sales Manager, Western Cape. Corobrik donated its 65 mm Natural Earth variation paver.
Europe is within 1 km of the Cape Town International Airport on the Cape Flats. It is located along Klipfontein Road opposite the Gugulethu Cemetery and is bounded by the Lotus Canal and N2. However, it was established on an old landfill site where the extent of the dumping remains unknown, and drainage posed a major problem.
Water pooled at tap points as a result, while pedestrian routes in and out of the settlement became inaccessible whenever it rained. This required interventions in the form of soakaways, platforms, structures and waterpoint upgrades.
“It is an exceptionally innovative project in the way it manages greywater and cleans runoff water through a Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS),” comments Rotary Noon Gun President Claire du Trevou, who collaborated with Yes & Landscape Architecture on the project. The main plaza also connects two community facilities, namely a pharmacy and an Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre.
The construction team comprised 70% local labour, while the upgrade project itself was funded by a Rotary Foundation Global Grant and approved by the City of Cape Town. JG Afrika provided professional engineering services while Africa Unite oversaw the community liaison, monitoring and evaluation.
“The Rotary Clubs of Noon Gun, Newlands and Weerd (Netherlands) wish to express their deepest and sincerest thanks for the more than generous donation of pavers for our Europe Informal Settlement Upgrade Project,” comments du Trevou. “We are most grateful for the change it has made in the lives of residents.”
“We are always proud to be associated with development initiatives in the regions where we operate. This important upgrade project is uplifting a disadvantaged community and empowering it to become an active roleplayer in building a better future for South Africans,” concludes Corobrik Marketing Support Manager Thilo Sidambaram.
