Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (ETDs)

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    Healing from the Past, into the Future: Socio-Cultural & Health Remediation for a Holistic Wellness Facility in Riverlea Township (Extension)
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) McCulloch, Claude Martin; Jivan, Sundeep
    The Witwatersrand Mining Basin has been in existence since 1852, which is astonishingly more than a century old. It is the world’s largest gold and uranium basin and has created extraction from over 120 mines stretching from the East to the West of Johannesburg. It is an integral part and the backbone of Johannesburg’s economy. However, regardless of how much mining has boosted the economy, it has not played a sustainable role with the health of the citizens of Johannesburg. This is largely because of radioactive chemicals within the pyrite basin, holding 600 000 tons of uranium, amongst other chemicals as well (Liefferink, 2022). These radioactive chemicals are spread from the mining basin into the surrounding environment via windblown dust (Coetzee et al., 2008). Monitoring of these occurrences have shown that this dust is inhalable due to its structure and particle size, that being either PM 2,5 or PM 10. These happen at residential settings and have exceeded the levels of occupational health standards. A link is suggested from (Nkosi et al., 2015) between the respiratory issues amongst residents that live in communities next to mine tailings & waste facilities. These communities are exposed and have an increased prevalence of ‘chronic respiratory symptoms’ compared to other communities (Van Wyk, 2013). There are currently 585600 people living in communities next to mine tailings according to the 2011 census. (Kneen et al., 2015). The community I will be conducting my research will be in the Township of Riverlea, located in the South-West of Johannesburg. Riverlea is in close proximity to industrial areas and mine dumps. Research has shown that harmful pollutants can from these areas can have negative effects such on the respiratory system, as the particles are airbourne (Makene, 2007). Built in 1963 during Apartheid, ‘coloured’ residents were forcibly removed from other parts of the city and given new homes by the government. The township is conveniently located 500m away from the mine dumps, thus making it a high exposure zone to airborne dust pollution (Kneen et al., 2015). The respiratory diseases in Riverlea are caused from environmental problems. To relate this Architecturally, I research that social and cultural problems may be a symptom towards the residents being unhappy about their environment. This unhappiness and deals with the ‘Sense of Place’ for the resident’s and I believe, alters their social and cultural behaviour, hence many of these communities suffer from poverty, drugs, and crime (Najafi et al., 2011). This can be done using the design methods of Salutogenic design, which promotes healthy living and creates better places that can reduce stress, encourage physical activity, and afford opportunities for socializing, enhancing the general daily health and wellbeing of people (Cushing et al., 2020). I aim to design a holistic wellness facility that remediates the social, cultural and environmental problems which contests the current narrative of the context - that being poverty and respiratory disease.
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    Immersed in community : Environmental remediation of a mining-impacted township through collective, participatory agricultural research and production
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Shiburi, Katleho
    The term Witwatersrand translates to “the ridge of white waters”. It derives its name from the low sedimentary hills that stretch east-west across the southern part of Gauteng Province. The Witwatersrand mining belt encompasses areas from the East Rand to the West Rand of Johannesburg, including Soweto, and is mainly characterised by its “West”, “Central”, and “East Rand” sectors. The mining of gold in South Africa, particularly in Johannesburg, has been a primary driver of economic development in the city since its inception. Gold production has influenced Johannesburg’s economic, social, and political histories and left detrimental mining waste evident along the Witwatersrand ridge. This mine waste is produced during the extraction and processing of mineral resources. It often includes waste dumps, slime dams, and other waste storage facilities, which continue to impact the region and the health of communities residing near these waste storage facilities. Issues such as acid-mine drainage and soil pollution, amongst many others, persist even long after the closure of many of these mines. Decades of mining activities have drastically altered the natural landscape and continue to pose environmental and public health risks. Braamfischerville, an RDP settlement situated in the southwest of Johannesburg, is affected by mine tailings that are a stark reminder of gold mining. These tailings are hazardous, posing risks to the health and well-being of residents, the natural environment and livestock within this area through soil contamination, acid mine drainage, and air pollution. In this challenging environment, small-scale community farming has emerged near the mine dump and within residents’ backyards. However, this commendable initiative is overshadowed by the danger it poses due to exposure to harmful dust from the tailings, exacerbating the risks of such agricultural endeavours. Additionally, Braamfischerville grapples with high unemployment, a lack of formal skills development, insufficient communal spaces, and poorly constructed RDP housing, which often lacks partition walls, ceilings, and proper ventilation. These concerns highlight the urgent need for holistic community interventions to address the socio-economic issues prevalent. The proposed intervention aims to repair the toxic landscape by establishing an experimental remediation centre that utilises hemp, a fibrous plant, to remediate the environment. This centre will also provide spaces for research, the manufacturing of hemp into wall and ceiling panels, training, and social interaction, ultimately contributing to the local and township economy.