Dedicated to improving employee skills and creating opportunities for Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) participants, Joburg Market, in collaboration with City Parks, has completed a landscaping project aimed at developing horticultural expertise.
In February 2024, 50 participants began their journey with theoretical studies on plant science. The practical component of the programme commenced on 4 February 2025, when the first group of students started hands-on training at the City Parks Zoo.
Mohau Takadimane, Acting Skills Development Facilitator at Joburg Market, explained that the programme forms part of EPWP training, focusing on the fundamentals of horticulture and plant production.
“The theory they have studied is essential in helping them understand horticulture from its primary stages,” he said.
A key feature of the programme is an exit strategy encouraging participants to start their own businesses. Takadimane revealed that discussions are already underway with the Department of Economic Development to assist participants with Company and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) registration, tax compliance, and Central Supplier Database (CSD) registration.
“We want our students to make a living from the skills they have acquired and seize this opportunity,” he concluded.
City Parks Training Specialist William Lesodi praised the noticeable improvements in the park’s greenery since the programme began.
“The difference is significant compared to before they started their practicals,” he said, highlighting tasks such as pruning, grass cutting, shaping plants, watering, and general maintenance.
Landscaping student Nsizwa Bini, who has nurtured a lifelong passion for plants through his home garden, shared how the project has deepened his environmental knowledge.
“Learning about the role plants play in our ecosystem and how to identify the nutrients needed in the soil to grow trees has been an invaluable experience,” said Bini, who aspires to start his own landscaping business.
Simanga Xaba, a Landscaping Facilitator, emphasised the importance of patience and dedication in mastering landscaping skills.
“A student must be willing to learn, know how to use different tools, and develop a passion for the work to succeed in landscaping,” said Xaba, expressing pride in the students’ progress and the potential impact the programme could have on their future businesses.
Written by Nonhlanhla Mbonambi