What was once a dumpsite and a hideout for criminals west of Mamelodi is now a proud centre of nature and tradition, thanks to a selfless traditional health practitioner who had the vision to improve this site for the benefit of the community.
Driven by his spiritual connection to his ancestors, traditional health practitioner Dr Cebisa Mabena identified the dumping site on the Magalies Mountains as an opportunity for community development – and single-handedly cleaned the area. He planted grass and indigenous plants like proteas and mopani trees, helping to conserve indigenous insects like the African Dung Beetle.
According to him, traditional health practitioners are environmentalists, geologists and indigenous knowledge holders and are thus very important in conserving the environment. It is in the ecosystem that they find the power to heal.
Today, almost 14 years later, having founded the Mothong African Heritage Trust, Dr Mabena manages development on the site. So far, almost 17 people have found permanent employment on the site, and the area is far from the eyesore it was in 2001 before he started working on the area.
The project has now grown so much it has the backing of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Tshwane Municipality, the University of South Africa (Unisa), the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, and the Council for Geoscience, among others.
Working with the Mothong African Heritage Trust, the University of Pretoria, the Agricultural Research Council and Unisa, the Department is in the process of establishing a pre-processing plant there.
The Department manages the Indigenous Knowledge Systems Bioprospecting and Product Development Platform (BPDP) there. The BPDP is producing cosmetics with healing properties, food supplements with medicinal properties, and value-added traditional medicines. According to Dr Andile Grootboom, Deputy Director for Indigenous Knowledge-based Technology Innovation, the manufacturing plant that is envisaged will offer pre-processing of various candidate products by the BPDP.
"The outcomes of the project will include job creation, equitable wealth creation and skills development," said Dr Grootboom.
On Tuesday, 30 September, the Mothong African Heritage Trust held an event to celebrate the success of the project, as part of Heritage Month, at which Mr Mabena expressed excitement, thanking the DST and all the stakeholders involved.
About 300 people attended, including traditional healers, community elders and local councillors, all wearing colourful traditional dress. Local traditional groups representing various ethnic groups entertained guests with song and dance, while several speakers addressed the audience about the importance of people going back to their roots to try and understand their origins.
Dr Mabena described the project as a legacy to the people of this country, saying what started as target for jokes was now the people's pride.
"A lot of people came to discourage me and laugh at me. But because I am a doer and not a dreamer, I could not allow the site to continue as it was. I am trying all my best to develop information booklets about this project, including transferring skills to the people around here. There is also tourism potential here, with the walking trails that we will soon be developing."
His plans are to solicit more funding to establish an information centre, an insect collection project for medicinal purposes, a small enclosure for certain wild animals, a method to harvest rainwater, and an electric fence to protect the area.
