The recent launch of a community market in Cloetesville brought together residents and local vendors to boost the local economy and “transform Cloetesville together”.
This is according to Gerhard Coetzee, marketing manager for Transforming Cloetesville Together (TCT), a non-profit organisation that focuses on improving the community of Cloetesville through various initiatives.
SMF News attended the opening of the Cloetesville Community Market on 1 August.
The market, launched by Stellenbosch Municipality in association with TCT, is a result of two-year-long negotiations with the municipality y Cloetesville residents, as well as an effort to establish local entrepreneurs, according to Coetzee.
Cloetesville and Stellenbosch locals gathered at the recent opening of the Cloetesville Community Market in Langstraat, Cloetesville. The market will be open to locals every weekend and local vendors will be at the market on a daily basis. This is according to Gerhard Coetzee, the Transforming Cloetesville Together marketing manager. PHOTO: Ishmael Mabena
“The market was established by Stellenbosch Municipality as a formal trading space following ongoing requests from residents during Integrated Development Plan (IDP) meetings and community engagements,” said Stuart Grobbelaar, communications manager for Stellenbosch Municipality, in correspondence with SMF News.
The opening of the market comes just a week after the passing of Valerie van Hendricks, who served as chairperson of TCT, according to Coetzee.
The opening of the Cloetesville Community Market follows the passing of Valerie van Hendricks, who served as chairperson of Transforming Cloetesville Together (TCT), a non-profit organisation that focuses on improving the community of Cloetesville through various initiatives. This is according to Gerhard Coetzee, marketing manager for TCT. “Talks to open the market began two-and-a-half years ago with [Stellenbosch Municipality],” said Coetzee. “It wasn’t an easy road to get here, but to have it finally open feels good, and Valerie played a big part in the process. We just want to make it all worth it.” PHOTO: Ishmael Mabena
‘A hub for the community’
The upliftment of Cloetesville residents takes centre stage through the market and “helps the residents give back to the community for sustainability”, said Coetzee.
“We want this to be a hub for the community. We want people to feel safe and to attract people from everywhere to come here and see that there is more to Cloetesville,” said Coetzee. “Cloetesville is known for a lot of bad things, but we want to change this, and this is how we are going to do that.”
The market provides the local entrepreneurs and small business owners a safe and designated area to trade goods and services, while aiming to improve local economic activity and support job creation, said Grobbelaar.
The tables placed in the Kuier section of the market were all crafted by Cloetesville locals. This is according to Gerhard Coetzee, marketing manager of Transforming Cloetesville Together, a non-profit organisation that focuses on improving the community of Cloetesville through various initiatives. The tables were made from wood left after the demolition of a house in Cloetesville, according to Coetzee. “We collected the wood and brought some of our residents together and made these tables from scratch,” he said. PHOTO: Ishmael Mabena
“Finally!” said Mabre Wenn, a vendor at the market and a Cloetesville local, about the opening of the market. “It feels good. I think there’s a lot of excitement with regards to this market and we hope that it will be good and we’ll attract people.”
Wenn said that although Cloetesville is usually known for negative things, the market is a positive initiative and “we would love a positive outcome” of the opening day as well.
“The market is not about making money, but it is about upliftment,” said Coetzee. “It is all about empowering the residents to help their families get better. It is about the need for the residents to come together and share their stories with each other.”
Flags hung around the new Cloetesville Community Market with handprints of children from a local crèche. This is according to Gerhard Coetzee, marketing manager for Transforming Cloetesville Together, a non-profit organisation that focuses on improving the community of Cloetesville through various initiatives. The children are all part of the community and “we will host lessons for them on Thursdays, where we asked external registered professionals to come and empower our young children with knowledge”, said Coetzee. “They say charity begins at home, and this is their home.” PHOTO: Ishmael Mabena
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