VIRGINIA Bush Nature Reserve is well known for its 38 hectares of land that stretch between Adeliade Thambo (Kensington Drive) and Margaret Maytom Avenue. It offers something for trail runners, walkers and nature lovers, However, in recent times, reports of vagrants using the reserve to live in have been widespread. From vagrants stealing honey from beehives in the reserve to vagrants dismantling stolen goods for scrap before dumping them in the reserve’s thick vegetation.

It is believed that some of the vagrants have also resorted to petty theft. Virginia United Football Club has also felt the presence of vagrants who have stolen cables from the field lights.

A Durban North resident who regularly takes his son to Danville Sports Ground which borders the reserve said he has seen vagrants loitering in the bushes.

“I’ve seen guys near the border of the field loitering around. A friend of mine who fishes at the pond in the reserve has seen vagrants roaming around. Last week a lady living on Umhlanga Rocks Drive confronted a thief who ran into from the Virginia bush. She was lucky to escape any serious injury. I feel the public need to know, purely from a safety perspective, there are hundreds of residents who like to walk in this bush for sight-seeing and exercise. One wonders whether how many vagrants living in parts of the Virginia bush,” he said.

It is understood that the head ranger is trying to have Virginia Bush declared as an official nature reserve which would allow better funding and consequently better access control.