THE Westville Conservancy has issued a reminder to residents that trees on verges cannot be cut or removed without prior written consent from the eThekwini Municipality’s Parks Department.
“On Saturday, 8 January we arrived home to see a skip parked on my verge and large portions of a Ficus natalensis (indigenous fig tree), which is on my verge, had been cut off. We climbed out of the car and told them to stop,” said Westville resident, Judy McNaughton.
The owner of the company was contacted and he provided the Westville family with a copy of an email that stated the trees could be removed at the complainant’s own expense. The complainant lives in a complex along Jan Hofmeyr Road in Westville.
The department that issued the consent was the Environmental Planning and Climate Protection Department (EPCPD).
However, the Westville Conservancy’s Jenni Bell said, “Only the Parks Department has the jurisdiction to consent for trees or bushes along verges to be cut.
These trees were here long before the complex was even built. These indigenous trees have value for birds, bats, monkeys, chameleons and insects and we need to protect the trees that feed the animals across the food chain.”
In an email referred to above, the complainant, Thiloshnie Pillay, cited the trees were “causing a nuisance with respect to my water lines and boundary wall. They also have an extremely aggressive root system and are multiplying.”
ALSO READ: Botha’s Hill residents outraged by tree culling
McNoughton said they have lived in their home for 19 years and have not had any problems with the trees on their verge. “What is even more concerning is that two of the three trees in question are not even on our neighbour’s verge, they’re on mine,” said McNaughton.
A resident, who did not wish to be named, from the complainant’s complex said they have had no issues with their water pipes.
Pillay was asked if she had an engineer’s report to support her claims and why she attempted to remove trees from another resident’s verge.
“The matter is being handled with the relative department. That is all I am willing to state at this point. I reserve my rights respectively,” she said.
Do you want to receive alerts regarding this and other Highway community news via WhatsApp? Send us a WhatsApp message (not an sms) with your name and surname (ONLY) to 060 532 5409.
You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
