Youths farm in the City Bowl

Tyisanabanye is a Xhosa name which means feed the others.

The site of the project, set up in August 2013, is between Tamboerskloof and Bo Kaap in Cape Town, on the old military base on Military Road. The members have set out to create a space where people can grow food in an urban environment according to permaculture principles. Their objective is food security and employment and they are working on developing an indigenous nursery and an organic vegetable box scheme.

Mzukisi Zele said, “When I was growing up there were always gardens and food to eat. Today’s youth only care about white collar jobs. They should be educated on the benefits of organic farming.

“Before I joined Tyisanabanye I was doing landscaping. I love gardening. Since I joined Tyisanabanye my knowledge and skills have improved.”

Different types of vegetables are grown on the land which is owned by the Department of Defence. Photo by Tariro Washinyira.

Vuyolethu Hoboshe from Mfuleni said, “I dropped out of school in grade 10. I lost my job in 2013. I was desperate but did not want to go back to the township because without a job the temptation to get involved in crime is too high. As a result I teamed [up] with other young people doing this project. The project helped me to develop farming skills. Now I am aware of what I am consuming. Before the project I knew spinach only but now I know different types of vegetables and herbs such as thyme, rosemary and brinjal. “

Unathi Dyantyi, a theatre graduate, says he was inspired by a basic gardening course he did with Abalimi Bezekhaya in 2012. He wants to teach gardening through theatre so that young people know how to take care of their environment.

He says gardening is seen as a job for the uneducated by many young people. “I would like this to change by making it look cool for them.”

“It is high time young people acknowledge farming is as important as becoming a lawyer or a medical doctor, because we need to be aware of what we eat and how to sustain it. It is sad people know the names of their lawyers and doctors but not of their farmers because they do not think it is important.”

Young people at Tyisanabanye project produce their own vegetables. Photo by Tariro Washinyira.

Zele told GroundUp that the project lacked money for tools, seeds, and irrigation systems and this could make it difficult to expand. The members use the vegetables for their consumption and sell extra produce monthly on the site to their neighbours.

The site they are using belongs to the Defence Department. Zele said they wrote a letter to the department asking for permission to use the land but they have not received a response. They are using a borrowed hosepipe to water the garden.

One day they want to move into mixed farming by rearing livestock, and also to use the site for educational activities and create employment for other young people.