City Power flattens vegetable garden under power lines
Mkhize explained that it would have made more sense if City Power had asked him not to plough under the power lines and not destroy everything.
Alfred Mkhize was left stunned and heartbroken as City Power workers demolished and cleared out his vegetable garden on Jan Smuts Avenue.
Mkhize stood on the side, helplessly watching all his hard work being thrown away. The City Power workers came with spades and shovels flattened Mkhize’s garden and shoved everything into plastic bin bags.
Mkhize explained that the place was abandoned and a wild area. Both Randburg and Linden police have visited and seen his work and praised the work he has done in the place.
“We started on the other side of the bridge; we opened a big place and the rangers stopped us after they had planted trees in the park. This was a wild place and I opened it. Police came and never had a problem with what I did here. They allowed me to open up and make my garden.”
His garden started under the power lines and he connected a shade net to the power pilon. “The police told me to take down the shade and talked about the danger it poses. They told me that the area was a hotspot for crime and ever since I cleaned nothing has been happening.”
The shade he created was for when it was hot, cold or raining. He added that people from City Power came to him a week before and asked him to not put anything near the power lines as it dangerous and he took down the shade net.
“The shade net was there for seven years. The minute they said I must take it down, I did. I don’t understand why they decided to destroy the garden. I am devastated by the manner they handled this situation. They should have told me not to plough under the lines. They could destroy there, but not the whole garden.”
The garden had vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, cabbages, spinach and more food that Mkhize used to grow and sell to passersby.
“I received a big support from people who walk past. They would come to me and ask for certain veggies and I was making a living. It is really painful to see all my hard work being destroyed and thrown away.”
City Power was asked for comment on why they decided to destroy the entire garden and if there were any other ways to handle the situation but have not responded by the time of going to print. However, their comment will be published once made available.
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