Jumpers informal settlement veggie garden gets a new fence thanks to kind hearts
JOBURG – Zozo's vegetable garden has a new fence.
Nomphelo Zozo, the woman who started a veggie garden at Jumpers informal settlement in Cleveland, is overjoyed and expressed gratitude after the food garden was fenced.
Zozo said she approached businesses to assist, and a donor, who wants to remain anonymous, donated the fence. “I looked for someone to put a fence around my garden and because my son was available, he assisted,” she said.
Zozo started her vegetable garden in 2013 and drew in other Jumpers residents. The now lush and productive garden is used as a source of food and helps reduce the financial problems most residents in the settlement face.
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She said she had no words to express how she felt. “I am very excited. I don’t know what to say. My garden has a fence and everyone can recognise it as a garden now rather than just an open space. People now respect my garden. Some used to take my vegetables but because there is a fence now, they respect it,” said Zozo.
“This garden used to be a dumping space. Most of the residents don’t work, and buying food is very expensive, so I thought of cleaning up the area and starting the vegetable garden.”
She encouraged other residents to join the gardening group. “If people can come together and harvest something in the garden, it does not only make it easy for them in terms of saving money, but they will also stay away from the streets,” she said.
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Ward 118 councillor Neuren Pietersen recalled that it was a small vegetable garden when he first became a councillor. “Zozo and her two friends got together and created what we see here today. It has been with the help of many people who contributed, including some members of the Jumpers community. They have grown something they can be proud of.” Pietersen said he hopes the garden will continue to grow from strength to strength.
Edited by Janese Glasscoe
