Rugby West residents beautify their streets

A tree-planting drive in Rugby West, initially launched as a Mandela Day initiative, has grown into a long-term community beautification project, driven by residents determined to transform their neighbourhood.

The project, spearheaded by resident Liezal Reddeck and her husband, Jos Joubert, began with planting trees along open areas in the streets.

Working with the Rugby West Neighbourhood Watch and other residents, the couple hopes to turn neglected spaces into vibrant gardens.

“We want to live in a place we can be proud of. Planting trees and creating gardens feels like the right start for Rugby West,” said Ms Reddeck.

She said the initiative is about more than improving appearances - it is also aimed at fostering community pride, deterring illegal pavement-parking, and offering residents a constructive way to stand together against crime and neglect.

So far, approximately 80 trees, including plum trees, have been planted along Madeira Street, Linnet Street, and parts of Lincluden Street, to cover the entire area, she said.

Residents are encouraged to “adopt” a garden near their homes to water and maintain it.

“Our vision is for people from other neighbourhoods to visit Rugby West just to see our gardens. We’ve had people stop to ask questions and even join in. That’s when we know it’s working,” she said.

Rugby West Neighbourhood Watch secretary, Lucinda Josias, said the gardens have already helped to brighten the area and bring residents outdoors. “We needed more flowers, plants, and trees - and this has brought neighbours together in a positive way,” she said.

The group is calling for donations of shrubs, succulents, flowering plants, fertiliser, bark, rocks, wooden fencing, and garden tools, as well as financial contributions for ongoing maintenance.

“We started this to coincide with Mandela Day so the whole community could be involved. The response was overwhelming, and now we want to keep it going,” said Ms Josias.