Illegal cutting of municipal trees prohibited

Illegal cutting of municipal trees is prohibited in terms of the city’s by-laws for the planting, pruning, removal and treatment of street trees.

The Alberton Record received a complaint of a Brackenhurst resident found to be cutting down municipal trees outside their place.

According to Pandelis Valarakis, a concerned resident, it is very important that suburbs stick to the by-laws that have been made by municipalities by not cutting down trees.

“Once we have cut down all the trees, suburbs will be devoid of any flora, and that takes away birds, bees and there are a whole lot of consequences that result to this. People who live in suburbs cannot just willy-nilly go along and just cut down trees,” he said.

Valarakis reiterated that the area should be kept beautiful because cutting down trees takes away its beauty and brings down the value of the area.

In light of the complaint, CoE’s Zweli Dlamini said: “The enquiry has been forwarded to the EMPD for investigation and the issuing of a fine if the owner of the property is found to be in contravention of the by-laws. The city endeavours to update the response once additional feedback has been received from EMPD.”