Mtubatuba forest to be cleared to tackle crime

A 200-hectare plantation near Mtubatuba’s Nordale suburb is set to be cleared in an attempt to deter would-be criminals from using it as a hideout.

Councillor Ntokozo Mthimkhulu said suspected burglars and hijackers use the forest as a vantage point to attack unsuspecting victims.

He said the forest, which was previously privately owned, now belongs to the local municipality.

The impact on property values was also cited as a reason for the clearing of the forest, as Mthimkhulu says it’s not a natural forest and serves no economic purpose.

Commenting on the criminal element, he said there have been several reported incidents where criminals have emerged from the forest or fled into it after a house break-in, car theft or hijacking.

“We also all know that a prominent politician from Mtubatuba was shot and killed in the vicinity of that forest, which was not being maintained or guarded,” said Mthimkhulu, referring to the murder of uMkhanyakude District Municipality Councillor Innocent Mkhwanazi, who was fatally shot in the area last July.

Three contractors, two already on site, have been appointed for the deforestation, says the councillor.

“The forest has been a pain to the Nordale community for years and now it will be cleared,” said Mthimkhulu, who added that the process should be completed before the end of May.

Mtubatuba Municipality communications manager Khulekani Msweli said future plans for the forest entail urban housing, medium density housing and other uses compatible with tourism development corridor.

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