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Stop investigating and deal with the real problem now

Kennedy Mudzuli

City Parks and its green contractors didn’t do their homework as far as pavement trees are concerned.

And typical of municipal workers they won’t admit their mistake despite the overwhelming evidence to that effect, as highlighted in this edition.
The beautification of pavements is well and good but indications are that it has destroyed numerous trees planted more than 30 years ago in Sunninghill.
More trees could also be dead or on their way in several other parts of the city, including Soweto, where the local authority implemented its greening of the city initiative.
Their obvious mistake is evident even to those who aren’t green fanatics.
They have used heavy-duty impermeable plastic as a base for pebbles instead of a permeable weed barrier.
This means that when it rains the trees don’t get water and die.
All that City Parks’ street trees supervisor Reggie Moloi could say was that the trees would be monitored.
He promised to investigate, as all municipal officials seem to do; they investigate, not deal with the problem.
And if you call that a howler, wait for a comment from City Parks’ spokesman Jenny Moodley.
The highly experienced and otherwise capable spin doctor confidently declared ‘there was no evidence’ of plastic around the trees.
Moodley is learning the political game fast, perhaps in preparation for a future career in politics.
Anything is possible, particularly with the 2011 municipal election looming, but allowing public trees to die will certainly not win her many votes.
It’s high time the likes of Moodley joined the green scene.
kennedym@caxton.co.za

Published on March 9, 2010 at 1:30 pm