For many years residents of the Princess informal settlement have been living in constant fear of the tall trees across the settlement falling on their corrugated iron sheet homes.
Many of the roots have started losing their grip, resulting in as many as three trees falling within one month. While no fatalities have been reported, residents have sleepless nights in fear of being crushed by one of the huge trees.
Since December last year, Ward 85 councillor Zoné Huges has been in contact with Disaster Management in efforts to resolve the issue.
“I am happy to report that the residents living around these trees have now been evicted temporarily in order for City Parks to cut the trees so they don’t destroy another home or continue to pose a threat to the people,” she said.
This follows after the project was sent back and forth between Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ) and the Housing Department for several months, and it was eventually assigned to JCPZ.
Approximately 60 trees are scheduled to be cut down within the next two weeks.
“JCPZ eventually commenced with the project at the end of May,” Zoné said.
However, she concluded that the long-term solution was permanent housing for the residents, and that there was a proposed three-year project in the pipeline.
