KUYASA HOUSING PROJECT REDUCES CABLEWAY’S CARBON FOOTPRINT
September – Table Mountain Cableway is a carbon neutral attraction, offsetting an average of 1 513.76 tonnes of emissions per annum through a partnership initiated in 2016 with the Kuyasa Housing Project, a low carbon initiative in Khayelitsha.
The Cableway recently commissioned a YouTube video to highlight the work of Kuyasa. This project has not only provided jobs but has also seen the installation of solar water heaters, ceilings and compact fluorescent energy efficient lightbulbs (CFLs) in 2 100 RDP houses since its inception.
“Our project has paid out (created) 65 425 job days to local community members,” says Kuyasa Housing Project’s Project Manager Zuko Mdamene. “Through the (carbon neutral) credits that we sell, we are able to offset 2.8 tonnes of carbon emissions per household per year.”
Kuyasa resident Ntombizonke Ntshanga says: “The installations have made a big difference to me and my 3 year old son Kungawo. It’s important for him to have hot water, and it is saving me time and money.”
The Cableway’s Managing Director Wahida Parker says that its annual carbon emissions are made up of made up of electricity, gas, fuel consumption, waste and water.
“We are extremely conscious of our carbon footprint and are committed to abiding by global initiatives in making sure our planet survives long after we have left. The Kuyasa Housing Project has already made a noticeable difference in the community and we look forward to seeing it grow.”
Zuko Mdamene says that they are looking at an expansion into neighbouring communities, with the hopes of providing complete installations to 2 000 more households.
“Ours was the first project in Africa to register under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and we have been slowly growing ever since. We want to give more people the gift of upliftment that our installations provide. Through our own growth we can bring change to more lives and create more jobs,” says Mdamene.
For more information go to Tablemountain.net or Kuyasacdm.co.za.