The dumping of tree branches on the “doorstep” of All Saints Anglican Church in Main Street, Muizenberg, has left the church horrified.
Reverend at the church Father Moses Stafford said he was shocked to discover large tree branches as he was leaving the church building on Wednesday 11 May.
“We have services on a Wednesday, so when I left the church at around 11:00 I saw these tree branches in front of the church. I called my secretary and the local councillor to find out why the branches were dumped there, but I couldn’t find any information.”
Stafford says he was later told the church was earmarked as a collection point for waste removal.
“On Friday morning (13 May) I went back to church and saw the branches were still there. I noticed Muizenberg Improvement District (MID) workers and I asked them about the branches.”
After receiving no information Stafford took to social media to ask whether anyone had information on the incident.
“Eventually I received notification from the MID that they had placed the waste there and that the City had apparently earmarked the space as an area for dumping of branches.
“I got a hold of the MID and I was not happy with that, the parishioners and community had to walk past that and into the street.
“They said it was a collection point for waste, but why cut branches at the Naval building and then move it across the street and not leave it on that side?”
Stafford added that he thought it inappropriate if the City has earmarked the space for waste collection because then it meant anyone and any business could leave their waste on the church’s doorstep.
“I later spoke to the ward councillor and she said that it was the City’s responsibility. By Saturday (14 May) at lunch time the branches were removed.
“I never even received an apology. I’ve been at the church for five years and in that time this has never happened.
“I’m not happy with the City’s decision and I don’t know if this is the case because if it is a collection point for waste then we will petition to have it stopped because then anyone can dump their waste here.”
Chair of MID Peter Corbett said branches from trees in Main Road were hanging into public space and obscuring the view from one of the MID CCTV cameras.
“These cameras are a critical crime prevention asset for the Muizenberg community.
Cutting back such foliage is always the responsibility of the property owner, but in keeping with our willingness to help in such circumstances, our operations manager arranged to do the job.”
Corbett says the operations manager and his team placed the branches onto the pavement outside the Church as it’s the City of Cape Town council collection point.
“We expected that, in the normal fashion, the council would collect it. The operations manager confirmed collection of the branches with the relevant council collection staff, who despite the confirmation unfortunately did not collect the foliage.
“When the MID operations manager received a message on Saturday morning that no collection had been made and that there was an important church service the next day he immediately came in on his day off, rented a trailer, personally loaded it, and used his own vehicle to tow it and take it to the council dump.”
He added that the MID did what “in fact is the property owner’s responsibility” and despite this cooperated fully in assisting the church in clearing the pavement.
City of Cape Town spokesperson Zama Feni said the City is looking into the particulars of the matter.
