Curbside vegetable garden not going anywhere – owner
“I am a law-abiding citizen so if the law strictly says I cannot plant cabbage here and onion, I will abide by it even if it’s ridiculous, but I will not remove this food based on logic and common sense.”
The controversial curbside vegetable garden, located in Theresa Park, north of Pretoria, is not going anywhere – or at least until the Tshwane metro police department (TMPD) proves which by-laws its owner was contravening.
The owner of the garden Joe Bankuna has recently been in the news following claims that he had been fined by the metro police for operating a vegetable patch on the sidewalk in front of his house.
The produce from the garden has been used to feed vagrants in the Theresapark area and assisting less fortunate families in the Soshanguve area. The matter went viral on social media after Bankuna posted that he had been threatened with arrest for the garden as he was reportedly only permitted to plant grass and flowers outside his yard.
“I have made it clear that the garden is not going anywhere until I am legally served and until someone shows me which by-law I am contravening,” garden and homeowner Bankuna told Rekord on Tuesday.
He said thus far, the only issue which was reportedly related to the curbside garden was that it was blocking a path.
“There’s no paving or path here which can be blocked; otherwise, the trees would be gone when they put a path and I have never said that Tshwane cannot put a path,” Bankuna said.
However, he noted that he would be willing to co-operate with the TMPD.
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“I am a law-abiding citizen. So if the law strictly says I cannot plant cabbage and onions here, I will abide by it even if it’s ridiculous. I will not remove this food, based on logic and common sense,” Bankuna said.
TMPD spokesperson Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said that the issue was the vegetable patch that was on the curbside, blocking a pedestrian path.
“The road traffic act 96 or 1996 also does not allow for obstruction on the sidewalk. This is punishable with a fine of R150 to R1 500, depending on the discretion of the officer,” he said.
By midday, Bankuna had been issued with a R1500 fine which was expected to be paid within 30 days or appear in court on 23 November 2021, if he chose not to pay it.
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