WARD 36 councillor Heinz de Boer has described the situation around the lack of pruning, trimming and maintenance of trees in the areas as ‘dire’.
His comments follow an incident near the intersection of Stirling Crescent and Adelaide Tambo Drive where a tree branch fell on a resident’s vehicle.
Luckily, the driver, a woman, escaped without injury, however, her vehicle was damaged badly in the accident.
According to De Boer, the eThekwini Municipality has a backlog of six to eight months when it comes to cutting back overhanging branches and maintaining trees in the area.
Also read: Local ratepayers’ bodies express anger over water curtailment programme
“From what I understand, one of the branches of a tree was dislodged by strong winds and fell onto the road, striking the resident’s vehicle. Luckily, no one was killed, but this should serve as a warning to the municipality that regular trimming, pruning and maintenance is required. Since September 11, when I came into office, one of the first complaints I received was in regards to tree trimming.
“Ward 36 is a very leafy and green area, and there are big areas of natural vegetation. This is what makes it such a special and desirable area to live in, however, at the same time, many trees require regular maintenance. Some of them are prone to termites and ant infestations – not a new phenomenon – and there are some dying trees that also pose a danger in strong winds. From what I’ve been told, the Parks Department is struggling to keep up, and there is a backlog of seven to eight months. This is an unacceptable response time and needs to be addressed,” he said.
De Boer called for the budget to be readjusted to allow for funds to be put towards the Parks, Culture and Recreation Department.
“There are a number of instances where the roots of trees are damaging road surfaces, where trees are pushing against walls and branches are touching electrical infrastructure. The reality is the Parks Department is understaffed, and there are not enough vehicles, chainsaws and vehicles with buckets that are able to get to high branches available to address the backlog. I don’t blame the Parks Department, but we need the City to adjust budgets. This department deserves more money, in my opinion, to purchase new equipment and vehicles,” he said.
For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook, X or Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.
Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here
