Rotten park gets makeover thanks to local heroes
Peter Luhanga
Dunoon’s only park has been rescued from ruin and is now a green, gleaming playground for township children.
Once a hotspot for rats, rubbish and illegal scrap fires, Thandabantu Park has been reborn thanks to a major R700,00 facelift funded by local construction firm Ciolli Brothers and the City of Cape Town.
On Tuesday 22 July, Ciolli Brothers officially handed over the revamped park to the community.
Where rats once scurried, there are now grass fields, paved walkways and seating.
An irrigation system was added for the first time.
Children from Sophakama Primary School, who had trained on its sand, can now play safely.
Blaauwberg subcouncil manager Roxanne Moses said the park’s rehabilitation began with a 2022 email from ward councillor Meisie Makuwa to her, proposing the Ciolli Brothers as funding partners under their corporate social responsibility programme.
Moses said the plan required City planning approval and received a modest R50,000 top-up from the municipality.
“This was Dunoon’s last piece of open public land and it was rotting. Now it’s something the community can be proud of,” said Moses.
Antonio Ciolli, director of Ciolli Brothers construction firm, said previous attempts to initiate projects in the township had stumbled, but gained traction after ward councillor Meisie Makuwa became involved.
Ciolli called on residents to care for the park, describing its upkeep as essential to preserving the investment made in the community.
Phindile Maxiti, chairperson of the Blaauwberg subcouncil, commended the Ciolli Brothers firm for funding the park’s restoration, noting the public-private partnership had made a long-awaited vision possible.
“Many of us remember how dire the conditions were just a year ago. The transformation is remarkable,” he said.
He said the park now serves its intended purpose, not only as a space for play but also as a safer environment for all residents.
Maxiti also acknowledged ward councillor Meisie Makuwa’s pivotal role in initiating the upgrade, offering thanks in her absence.
But he cautioned that this was not the first attempt to revitalise the space.
Previous City-led improvements were vandalised, he said, resulting in the loss of substantial public funds.
“We must protect what has been invested here. There may not be another opportunity for this kind of donation,” said Maxiti.
Amos Siwayi, principal of Sophakama Primary School and president of the Dunoon Local Football Association, welcomed the park’s rehabilitation, describing it as an essential extension of the school’s learning environment.
“Our school stands directly across from the park. It’s difficult to maintain a clean and safe educational setting when the space outside is neglected,” said Siwayi.
He said the school plans to adopt the park and organise clean-up activities on Fridays.
He said the upgraded grounds will serve as a venue for physical education and extracurricular activities, and the school may also organise fundraising tournaments there.
The school has lacked dedicated sports facilities since 2018, when a municipal field used by learners was occupied by residents seeking housing and has since been built over with shacks.
“This (the Park) should not be a place for smoking dagga,” he said.