Cape Town - The Greater Tygerberg Partnership (GTP) recently unveiled their brand new, safe and convenient ablution block on the corner of Kruskal Avenue, in the heart of the Bellville CBD and near the main informal trading corridor.
The R450 000 facility will be open daily to both men and women traders and their customers at a cost R2 per use – during general trading hours, with disabled access and baby-changing facilities also available.
Informal traders form an integral part of Bellville’s local economy, but some of their most basic needs were often overlooked.
Previously traders in the Bellville CBD did not have access to nearby toilets and were forced to use facilities in nearby shops, malls and the public transport interchange.
Project manager at the GTP, Monique Muller, said: “Usually these are very difficult to access and some even prohibit traders from using them. Not having their own set of toilets has been a major concern raised by several informal traders at our community visits.”
The GTP challenged design students in the Tygerberg area to submit innovative ablution ideas that would deliver greater dignity to traders and acknowledge their right to access hygienic, and convenient ablution facilities while at work.
A total of four groups entered and each took part in a creative workshop hosted by Aurecon to help ensure their idea was safe and sustainable.
Working with a team of designers and City of Cape Town officials, the GTP helped to finalise one design concept and then find enough funding to support its construction.
“A great thing about the chosen structure is that it is modular and so could be replicated in other urban areas where informal traders are experiencing the same challenges. This offers an ongoing opportunity for a funder to make a substantial difference to micro-entrepreneurs in other cities across South Africa,” said Muller.
The ceremony to unveil the colourful ablution block was also attended by City mayco member for economic growth, James Vos.
“When businesses help to make sure their areas are pristine, they give existing and potential customers the confidence to support them. We thank all parties that stepped up to make these basic, yet crucial facilities available for the informal economy and community of Bellville,” Vos said.
“It’s also up to each and every one of us to do our part in creating a cleaner Cape Town. I would especially like to encourage local businesses to get more involved, and to partner with GTP and the City, with a focus on business nodes,” Vos added.
The ablution blocks have been built on land owned by the City of Cape Town that has been leased to GrowthPoint, a GTP partner, and will be cleaned and managed by another partner, MES.
Other sponsors include Boudry Architects, Galojo Projects, Container World, Durbanville Engineer, Viking Deco and KSL Engineers.
Cape Times