She claims the Ekurhuleni Metro is responsible for the damage to the wall and the greenhouse.
“The greenhouse was purchased by us specifically to plant vegetables for the household. Now it is not possible to do so,” she says.
According to her the metro employed contract workers to cut down the trees in an open field behind her house.
The workers were seen cutting down the bluegum trees since the beginning of April and the family feared it would fall over and cause considerable damage to their property.
This has indeed happened.
Van der Westhuizen says they were watching the contract workers cutting a tree close to their boundary wall when she decided to record the cutting.
“It was strange because as soon as I started the recording I saw the tree falling,” she says.
The recording shows the tree broke various parts of the concrete wall and it shattered their greenhouse.
She immediately confronted the workers, witnessing the damage, who told her they will fix the wall and the greenhouse.
“They have come to fix the wall, but it is leaning towards the empty field and is not stable; therefore, I don’t think it is a job well done,” says van der Westhuizen.
The fixing of the greenhouse is another story as these workers allegedly claimed they will return to fix that as well.
The Addie has sent questions to the Ekurhuleni Metro but had not received any response at the time of going to print.
