Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Get your passport blessed 
  • Yes, it changed us
  • The Enyobeni Tavern tragedy: lessons for our own municipality
  • The spirit of Africa in indigenous African instruments
  • A laugh a day keeps the end of fest blues away
  • The hole left by absent fathers
  • Festival Of Circles: a festival within a festival
  • The stunning story of an autistic, self-taught pianist
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Grocott's Mail
Cue Media
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Grocott's Mail
You are at:Home»Uncategorized»Residents petition for historic tree
Uncategorized

Residents petition for historic tree

Kayla RouxBy Kayla RouxOctober 14, 2013No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Grocott's Mail has received numerous calls and emails about the felling of a gigantic Natal fig tree on a private property on the corner of Bathurst and Lawrence streets. 

Grocott's Mail has received numerous calls and emails about the felling of a gigantic Natal fig tree on a private property on the corner of Bathurst and Lawrence streets. 

Marcell Mostert, the owner of the property, started felling the tree on Monday 7 October to make room for another house as he is subdividing the property. According to Mostert, he will not be able to get a certificate from the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) with the tree there. 

Since then, Mostert says he has been inundated with complaints and comments about the tree.

"I know it's a contentious issue, but I have to cut down the tree," he told Grocott's Mail. "It's not because I don't like it or want to cut it down, but I have to."

"A lot of people are upset, but some are happy, because [the tree]has been encroaching on their properties," Mostert told Grocott's Mail. 

He says that although the tree is indigenous to South Africa, it does not belong in this area and has been causing damage both to his home and other plants on the property, including a protected Milkwood tree.

"It's not indigenous to the area, and the roots damage buildings: everything is moving and shifting and cracking because of its massive root system."

Concerned resident Deborah Seddon has delivered a petition containing 14 resident signatures to Mostert. 

According to Seddon, the fig tree is over 100 years old and houses various birds, playing a crucial part in the 'suburban ecosystem'. She says it was even part of a Botanical garden in the Sunnyside area many years ago.

"I gave the petition to [the owner]early on Thursday morning and I spoke to him at length about the value of the tree, its age and the environmental impact of removing it from the neighbourhood," said Seddon in a letter to Grocott's Mail. "There is very strong resistance to the felling of this huge and very old indigenous tree but [the owner]will not listen to his neighbours."

Mostert made it clear that the decision had not been taken lightly. Apart from providing work for a number of people in Grahamstown thanks to his building plans, he has also pledged to reimburse the environment by planting Yellowwoods, Sneezewoods, and another Milkwood.

"It's a very sad day for the environment, but from an ecological point of view this tree doesn't belong here," Mostert said. "I will not let anyone stand in my way when I can give work to people, and myself."

Previous ArticleSevens rugby stars in Grahamstown
Next Article English schools rugby battle to benefit Graeme
Kayla Roux

Related Posts

Johan Carinus tree planting

Learn music fit for a king

First place for Malawian journalist- Need to upload Pix

Comments are closed.

Cue for you!
Cue for you!
Cue for you!
Tweets by Grocotts
Newsletter



Listen

The Rhodes University Community Engagement Division has launched Engagement in Action, a new podcast which aims to bring to life some of the many ways in which the University interacts with communities around it. Check it out below.

Latest video

Weather    |     About     |     Advertise     |     Subscribe     |     Contact     |     Support Grocott’s Mail

© 2022 Maintained by School of Journalism & Media Studies.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.