One thing that many Lowvelders have learned over the years is that messing with a fig tree is guaranteed to land you in hot water.

In 2011 the Trans African Concessions received massive resistance from the local community over plans to remove a Wonderboom fig tree, estimated to be over 200 years old, while constructing the N4. It forced them to redirect the expansion of the road between Schagen and Mbombela. Despite the high cost, the N4 had to be redesigned around it, as moving it made locals feel uneasy given the tree’s age and magnitude. The new plans allowed the tree to remain in the median where it is still visible next to the highway.

An attempt to hack away on the giant Natal fig at Phat Boys Beer House, which has rooted itself in the hearts of many locals, was recently nipped in the bud when greenie Billy Chaplin stepped in. Situated where the old post office used to be, this Mutuba is estimated to be around 120 years old and is believed to be the centre from which White River originated.
Chaplin, among others, has been looking after this tree for several years.

“This is by far the oldest tree in White River and I will not allow anyone to mess with it,” said Chaplin. “I prune trees for a living and if whoever arranged the tree to be pruned made sure that it was done in a respectful manner, it would not have been a problem. But branches that are 200 to 300 millimetres thick were attacked by the workers.”
He alleges that a nearby business instructed a local pruning company to remove some branches obstructing the establishment’s signage. This could, however, not be confirmed.

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