Mr Kyle Lewin, a nature conservation student of NMMU who lives nearby, has raised his concerns about the situation. His complaint is the umpteenth one received by the George Herald in recent months about homeless people moving into residential areas, seeking out bushy areas as cover.
The plantation is readily accessible through an open entrance right next to a parking area in Plantation Road. Lewin said residents walk their dogs along paths in the plantation, but he feels it may be risky.
He took the George Herald to an area among the trees where litter lay strewn everywhere. It was evident that municipal rubbish bags had been carried into the plantation to be ripped open and raided. A handbag and a few pairs of shoes were among the articles found. A mattress was hidden among the bushes, neatly covered beneath heavy duty plastic and a tarpaulin.
A man who was having a cigarette nearby was asked if he lived there, but he said he was a gardener for residents in the vicinity and was only taking a break.
The matter was reported to the George Municipality last week and yesterday morning (Wednesday) their communications officer, Ms Debra Sauer reported that the Environmental Affairs Directorate had been to the plantation and removed the rubbish. She said no informal structures were found, but the area will be patrolled on a regular basis to monitor the situation.
Mr Jaco Oosthuizen, Cape Pine's manager, commented that the plantation falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF). He also pro-mised that their foresters in the area will investigate and report the matter to the officials responsible at DAFF.
A mattress was found covered beneath plastic and a tarpaulin.
ARTICLE AND PHOTOS: ALIDA DE BEER, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
