NEWS NOVEMBER 14 2015 11 Veggie garden gives dignity to homeless Street people learn new skills

ASANDA SOKANYILE Simphiwe Ncaphayi, a 52- household.” year-old father of three, said he Lee Stemmet, 28, has been HOMELESS people in the CBD had lived on the streets since on the street for 21 years and are getting a shot at a new 2010 when a fight with his sib- said he was delighted to be able beginning thanks to a vege- lings had resulted in his losing to afford a roof over his head. “I table garden project. his job. left home when I was 7 because Volunteer gardeners who Originally from the Eastern I had been adopted. I never have been homeless for years Cape, he said the garden job had knew my real parents and my are being trained at a 350m2 helped him regain his dignity. adoptive parents abused me so veggie garden on land owned I ran away. by Fruit and Veg City in Roe- “Life on the streets is tough land Street, courtesy of a joint ‘I have regained because it leads you to bad initiative involving Khulisa friends and I even started using Social Services, the Ackerman drugs at the age of 15. Pick n Pay Foundation, Central my self-worth “I had no purpose in life City Improvement District back then, but since I started (CCID) and the provincial agri- and have been working in the garden I have culture department. learnt so much and I have been The garden is made up of a able to go back to able to rent a small room where total of 51 boxes, each 2m x 1m, I now live and am safe.” which are watered from a A third worker, Zamuzolo mountain stream. my family with Masabalala, said the job had KSS has also signed a five- helped him gather the courage year contract with Trafalgar pride as a man.’ to reunite with his family in High School in District Six for the Eastern Cape whom he last about 500m² ofland that is saw in 1998. NURTURING: Lauren Fredericks, left, and Lee Stemmet water seedlings at the vegetable garden off Roeland Street. PICTURE: MICHAEL WALKER being prepared. “Now I will be able to go Street people who have com- home and be a father to the pleted training will take over “There has definitely been child I left back in 1998.” Khulisa strategic partner- environment developed around the streets and 68 percent She said the provincial agri- workers and a further 24 sea- the Trafalgar garden in which change in my life since I joined Khulisa is a non-profit ship manager Jesse Laitinen each individual. address their substance abuse culture department had agreed sonal workers who would pupils will also participate. this gardening project last organisation which provides said the project was designed to “This allows them to turn problems. to donate soil, seedlings and maintain the gardens with a This week the homeless gar- year. I have regained my self- alternative sentencing services help homeless people regain dig- their lives around, make differ- “There are so many invisi- gardening equipment to help budget of R86 500. The plan is deners, who earn a monthly worth and have been able to go at the Cape Town Community nity through sustainable work. ent choices.” ble barriers to overcome. Even keep the project going. for the vegetables to be sold in stipend, told Weekend Argus back to my family with pride Court. The project operates “There are no sustainable Laitinen said a pilot food opening bank accounts for Giselle Terblanche, the stores, with all proceeds going that although the project was in as a man, because now I can at from a soup kitchen, the Ser- jobs for homeless people. But gardening project they ran them is difficult. But we are department’s assistant commu- to gardeners’ salaries, plus any its infancy, they were excited least contribute something vice Dining Rooms, in Canter- through this project they get a early this year saw 77 percent of committed to the work we do, nications director, said they tools needed, and the training and enjoying their work. toward the basic needs of the bury Street in the city centre. chance to work in a supportive the people involved move off so we stay positive,” would fund six permanent of future gardeners.

Madiba shirt designer has developed taste for success Was doing the right thing

NONI MOKATI the right thing to do? MOST craftsmen strive for per- fection and this certainly applies to prolific designer Sonwabile Ndamase, the man who designed some of Madiba’s iconic and chic shirts. So in tune with his craft is Ndamase that it’s been hard for see the calculation below his critics to fault him. “Like a cook tastes his food, I do the same with my fabrics. I use my tongue to taste every piece of cloth. It’s my way of ensuring what my customers Beginning with an amount of R10 in gantry passes, wear is genuine. Every seam, stitch and pattern has to be per- let’s compare which is better off: fect,” he said this week as he pre- pared for the 21st Vukani! Fash- ion Awards and exhibition in Gauteng from Monday to Friday. Compliant Paid within The theme is “The enlight- with e-tag Grace Period Not Paid ened ones: guardians of ubuntu”. The awards, which Ndamase established at the dawn of democracy, provide an annual R10-00 R10-00 R10-00 platform for aspiring designers to showcase their talent. e-tag discount (48%) R4-80 not applicable not applicable It has been the launchpad for such seasoned designers as Mthatha and David Tlale, as well Paid within grace period YES YES NO as up-and-coming stars like Mosa Mokuena. Alternate rate applied(x3) not applicable not applicable R30-00 Ndamase grew up with needles, thread and a sewing HARD AT WORK: Sonwabile Ndamase with one of his shirts at his machine in Libode, near Mthatha home in Kew, Joburg. PICTURE: TIMOTHY BERNARD New Settlement Discount (60%) not applicable not applicable R18-00 in the Eastern Cape. “uMama (my mother) was a TOTAL PAID seamstress. I watched her all the time. I was always the one hold- ing a needle and thread, mending my brothers’ pants and my sis- ter’s dresses.” Ndamase acknowledges it was awkward for a Xhosa boy, who was expected to be herding cows, to be fixing clothes. He was called a “sissy”. But the awkwardness, 4336 the criticism and the ribbing helped keep him resilient. It was, of course, a career highlight when he was asked to create shirts for Mandela. He was well established and designing We’re making it easy for you to catch up and keep up with your e-toll account by separating your old debt clothes for Mandela’s daughter (3 December 2013 – 31 August 2015) and discounting it by 60% to make it easy for you to keep up with the Zindzi and former wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. current amounts and make an arrangement to pay within 6 months. “The Madiba shirt concept was influenced by Tata’s history. Nothing could be easier. It was thought he needed some- thing that could flow with his body and which was chic and Afrocentric, something that blended with the whole world.” DESIGNER: Ndamase with Nelson Mandela. Ndamase said he laughed whenever he recalled his reac- tion when asked to make his first Ndamase is encouraged when His advice for aspiring design- shirt for Mandela. “I felt like a young people incorporate ers was: “Be yourself. I tell people For more details on the 60% discount please visit www.less60.co.za, kid in a candy store… it has been African prints in their everyday never to do something to please heartwarming to know that fashion. “We are not there yet (in other people. You work twice as phone us on 087 353 1490 or sms callback to 43360. T&Cs apply. throughout the years that I made terms of African design) but hard if you focus on yourself shirts for Tata he embraced there is effort and I believe we rather than on what other people everything I presented to him.” will get there.” want.”