uMHLANGA councillor Heinz de Boer says plans are being put in place to cut the bush along the M4 Ruth First Highway between the La Lucia and Umhlanga off-ramps.
Residents have called for the cutting back of the bush, after an Umhlanga mom narrowly missed becoming a victim of rock throwing on the Highway.
The Izinga Ridge resident, who wanted to remain anonymous, was travelling in a northerly direction last week around lunchtime when the incident occurred.
Also read: uMhlanga mom narrowly escapes rock-throwing on M4
Councillor de Boer said the M4 is originally maintained by provincial government adding that however, recently the city has been enabled to cut only 2-4 metres of the bush. He says the city is currently in talks with various stakeholders, to ensure that the bush is cut.
“We’re currently in talks with community members to get together and clear the boundary between Ridge Road and the M4, which is not the city’s jurisdiction. There’s also privately owned land where the bush is. We are again in talks with the private owners to maintain their land as it poses as a security threat to our residents,”said de Boer
Regarding this specific rock-throwing incident, de Boer said he strongly suspects that a mentally challenged vagrant is responsible for it.
Also read: Couple hijacked on M4 by suspects using blue
“Unfortunately reality is there are vagrants living in the area. There’s been various searches by security companies, SAPS and the city. There’s people who’ve been detained however because there is no housing for them, once they’re released they go back to the bushes,” de Boer said
De Boer concluded by saying they are working on a solution for the problem.
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