Ithemba Walkaway is a name given to the once-notorious footpath connecting NY57 and NY89 in Gugulethu.
According to residents, the footpath was synonymous with criminal activities in the early 2000s. It was also seen as a spot for gang activities. However, it is now regarded as a beacon of hope for the community.
This was after residents opted to stand up and take a stand against criminality in their area.
Early this year, they started cleaning the passage and are now busy painting it to make it a lot more attractive.
Community activist Xolile Ndzoyi, who is in charge of the initiative, described the campaign as the start of many to come. He described the new look as a breath of fresh air.
He said gangs used the spot to terrorise the community.
“This passageway has a lot of bad history. In 2001, one of the women from NY 99 was killed by her partner here. Many people were victims of crime including learners who were robbed of their lunch boxes,” he said.
While all these horrendous incidents happened, residents rubbed salt into the wound by dumping the rubble and animal carcasses.
All these created an untenable situation for the nearby house owners. They not only lived in fear but struggled to deal with the rat infestation.
Ndzoyi said they wanted Ithemba to be an inspiration to the community. “We want the wall of this passageway to be a public display of information with writings and mural painting,” he said.
Ndzoyi described Ithemba as their first major initiative, with more to come. He urged the community to preserve and protect their environment by ensuring it remains clean.
Nobantu Primary school principal Winiswa Nkuhlu- Bulawa said they appreciate the effort by the community.
“It’s clean now. Our children go with confidence when they pass there. It used to be scary. They used to be robbed by criminals. As teachers we used to stand there and wait for our children when they come to school or went home,” she stated.
Nkuhlu-Bulawa said the school is also involved in the efforts to improve the footpath. “From the beginning, when the initiative was started to clean rubble, we were part of it as teachers. Even now, as we are still busy drawing the walls on weekends, some of our children are taking part,” she explained.
