It was with great sadness that I read about the removal of the pine trees at De Poort.
Hundred-year-old trees chopped down over a couple of weeks. The feeble excuse that most of the trees were diseased and a health hazard is viewed with serious suspicion. Anyone who has inspected those chopped-down trees can see just how few of them had any form of disease.
But when you have signed an agreement with a development company based in Stellenbosch – whose details were not even forwarded to Paarl Post on request – one has to wonder what the real reasons are behind this tree slaughter.
And as for public participation concerning the proposed development on this land?
A green lung on a heritage site denuded of trees in northern Paarl. History will judge the authorities who made these decisions.
