In Johannesburg's Lorentzville suburb, an old building that had been empty for a long time was turned into Victoria Yards. Nando’s has partnered with this initiative to the renewal of the inner city by promoting community through arts and culture. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Nando’s supplied food for a soup kitchen. This lively urban spot focused on helping the community and growing businesses. This busy area was both a business project and a sign of hope for the people living nearby.
What was the problem?
The areas around Lorentzville, like Bertrams and Troyeville, had issues like illegal dumping, neglected public spaces, and few chances for young people. The community needed a safe place and resources to help people grow personally and professionally and to make the area cleaner and safer.
Victoria Yards became a solution, turning the area into a busy place with small businesses and a popular spot for visitors. One of the creative groups that helped with this project was the not-for-profit organisation Makers Valley.
How did they solve it?
Resource centre: Makers Valley offered a drop-in resource centre where people could get to use computers, WiFi, and get advice for job seekers – all for free. They also had a podcast studio with sound and visual tools, along with skills development programs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths as well as coding for computers.
Urban rangers: The team, called urban rangers, looked after the area by cleaning stormwater drains, removing illegal dumping, and taking care of public spaces. They worked with Jeppe SAPS to watch crime hotspots and make the area safer.
Funding: The Social Employment Fund (SEF) paid the rangers through the Joburg Inner City Partnership, which gave them an income and made it less expensive for Makers Valley.
Community impact: By teaming up with different organisations, Makers Valley improved the streets around Victoria Yards and positively changed the lives of many young people. Contact Makers Valley here
Acknowledgements:
Original article written by: Makers Valley
Photograph supplied by: Makers Valley
Get your community involved
Is there a community-driven group or caring business in your area? A dedicated group of committed people can effectively solve local problems.
Think about starting or joining community groups like a street WhatsApp group, residents' association, or community policing forum (CPF) to get help and to stay informed and involved in local issues.
Know your rights – how local government works
It’s important to understand how your local government works so that you can work with them to support what they are doing while your community continues to keep them accountable and deliver services on time. Remember you have a constitutional right to many of the services provided by local government, as well as to accountability and transparency, wherever you live and regardless of how much you earn. It is also where money collected from taxes and rates goes.
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