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Bafenyi ka Bakwena ABCD project

Co-creating asset-based community development along South Africa’s national roads.

Client

Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire Ltd

Project date

The Bakwena Platinum Corridor spans over 385 kilometres, connecting the City of Tshwane to the Botswana border. As a vital economic and transport route, the N4 national road presents significant opportunities for community upliftment. Zutari partnered with the concession company to position the road and its infrastructure upgrades as valuable assets for surrounding communities.

The opportunity

While infrastructure projects often bring visible change, they rarely translate into meaningful community development or employment creation. The Bafenyi ka Bakwena project aimed to change this by empowering communities along the N4 toll corridor to recognise and harness their own potential for development.

Zutari, in collaboration with Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire Ltd, developed a programme based on the asset-based community development (ABCD) methodology. This approach helped communities identify local assets, build networks and initiate projects that benefit the broader population.

What we did

The project began with engagements involving community leadership structures, organisations and government representatives to ensure alignment with regional development goals. Transparency and independence were key to maintaining trust and avoiding influence from any particular group.

Fifteen volunteer community Champions were selected to represent five wards in the Rustenburg area. They underwent a five-day ABCD training workshop, followed by monthly life-skills sessions. When the Covid-19 pandemic halted in-person activities, the Champions adapted by using social media and online platforms to continue engaging their communities. This led to the emergence of a ‘home-based’ ABCD model.

Zutari’s Communication and Stakeholder Engagement Team supported this shift by creating branded Covid-19 messages for Champions to share within their networks.
Community Champions used digital platforms to continue development work during lockdown.

The outcome

One of the most impactful initiatives was the Eat What You Grow (EWYG) programme, launched in 2020 in partnership with Zutari, CapaSity, Sakata Seed Southern Africa and MayFord Seeds. EWYG teaches people to grow their own vegetables, promoting food security and sustainable livelihoods.

“No one in my family goes to bed hungry anymore,” said Buang Molefe from Majakaneng.
“I now know how to plant my own vegetables and provide food for my family without spending money,” said Nomangesi Sobahle.

The project has made a lasting difference in the lives of many, demonstrating the power of community-driven development.

The Bafenyi ka Bakwena ABCD project showcases how infrastructure can be a catalyst for community empowerment. By placing development in the hands of the people and fostering collaboration, the initiative has created a resilient and self-sustaining model for positive change.

“It is encouraging to note that through these partnerships, training and support, we have been able to make a difference and help communities during these difficult times.”

Solomon Kganyago

Chief Operating Officer, Bakwena

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