Reverend from Secunda butts heads with Govan Mbeki Municipality over maintenance
The tree next to the fence split open and a mass of branches toppled into Smit's yard and onto the garage and carport.
A retired police chaplain suffering from a disability due to a car accident, is on the warpath with the Govan Mbeki Municipality.
Several complaints and more than a year later, municipal workers recently hacked off part of a damaged tree to prevent it from falling onto a resident’s garage and carport on November 5.
But the work is far from done.
Rev Johan Smit, a retired police chaplain who is partially disabled due to a severe car accident, has been complaining since September 2021 about trees in a walkway adjacent to his yard that leads to a green area behind the property. In this area is a stormwater drainage stream and bridge.
Smit complained to the Govan Mbeki Municipality’s parks department about trees bordering his property in Moffat Street that need maintenance or to be chopped down, as well as the overgrown and dirty stream and field.
One of these trees was showing signs of splitting in half.
The municipality has warned residents who cut or trim trees on municipal property that they will face fines of up to R2 000.
ALSO READ: Two escape with Hilux bakkie in Standerton
Smit went as far as threatening to institute a civil claim for reimbursement of expenses against two departmental managers because he has to regularly clean up the area. Since his accident several years ago, he needs to hire workers to help.
His complaints fell on deaf ears until Saturday, November 5, when the inevitable happened.
The tree next to the fence split open and a mass of branches toppled into Smit’s yard and onto the garage and carport.
He called on Freedom Front Plus councillor, Aranda Nel-Buitendag for help before two GMM employees arrived and, without the proper safety gear, began to trim the tree before real damage occurred.
The remaining half of the thorn tree was then left hanging for longer than two weeks.
“This is dangerous for commuters.
“The recent storms aggravated the matter further with a broken-off branch balancing precariously in the tree, just above my property,” Smit explained on November 19.
ALSO READ: Robbery suspect who was wounded in shoot out with eMba and Secunda Police dies in hospital
Smit’s headache increased when, one week later, sewage was seeping into his yard from a manhole in the green area.
The cut-off branches were still in the same spot where the municipal workers dumped them. Out of sheer frustration, Smit grabbed his own lawnmower last week and began cleaning up.
“I cleaned up the area behind my house since GMM does not do it. I cleaned behind mine and my neighbour’s, working together with the neighbours in the house on the corner and the 7th Day Adventist Church across the green strip.
“I wish the mayor will consider donating an industrial lawnmower on which I can sit,” said Smit.
“I also always open up the footpaths where women, children and commuters can safely walk.
“Unfortunately, GMM has blocked the passage next to my house by not removing the branches that took them three weeks to cut.”
Smit believes the community should be informed about how taxpayers are forced to do the jobs for which they are paying taxes.
Lucky Mhlongo, the municipal spokesman, said there is a backlog of horticultural maintenance across the municipality.
“We are also aware of the high number of complaints; the municipality is working hard to resolve them.
“The municipality urges communities to be patient and bear with us during this time and also apologises for the inconvenience caused,” said Mhlongo.
