Volunteers scrape off graffiti, clean up iconic Church Square

The writing was on the wall for graffiti in Church Square in Pretoria, after stakeholders of the Church Square Revival Project (CSRP) gave the city’s iconic landmark much-needed attention this week.

Since a public-private partnership was formed last year, the stakeholders have returned to the square on various occasions, transforming it to its former glory by cleaning it up for daily users and tourists.

Taking care of the park

Alex Maluleke, who fed pigeons in the square while volunteers from CSRP cleaned, said they also played their part in taking care of the park.

Maluleke said they make sure nobody damages the grass as photographers use the setting to take photos of passers-by. Maluleke said he took photos there when he didn’t have another job.

“It’s been looking much better here the past three to five months. Even the grass is greener. We, as photographers, need it nice here.”

Maluleke said the square needed security to help protect it.

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Visiting square daily since high school

A student, Tlotliso Lekola, said he has been visiting the square daily since high school.

“I can see some changes, bit by bit.

“I see them clean and cut the grass,” he said.

Lekola said he loved visiting the square because it is peaceful.

“Nothing bothers me here. I like my space,” he said.

Lekola said people who didn’t care were responsible for the litter on the ground.

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“It’s nice to see that there are still people who do care and want to clean the square,” he said.

Square needs water

One of the regulars who agreed to speak anonymously said the square needed water.

“The flowers need to bloom again,” she said.

“The crime here is okay. I have been working here for a long time. Back in the day when there weren’t nyaope boys, the square was nice. Now they sleep here and pee on everything.

“We need a security guard to guard this square.”

City Property managing director Jeffrey Wapnick said this just goes to show what can be achieved with the skills and passion of people and companies working together.

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Public-private partnerships

Wapnick said CSRP City Property Administration brought Kansai Plascon on board, which donated paint and paint stripper to help remove the graffiti around the square and repaint the existing kiosks.

“This is a perfect example of how public-private partnerships can work and what a difference we all can make if we put the right people in touch with each other,” he said.

“We see ourselves as community builders and under the watchful eye of the paint supervisors of our contractors, important skills were transferred to the team from the City of Tshwane who assisted with the painting.

“We believe that by doing small things, we make a positive change to our city,” he said.

Wapnick said it was an ongoing initiative and future interventions were in the pipeline.