Several endangered plant species have been recorded and are now being protected at the Batavia Street Conservancy in Bothasig. To help with the task of caring for the area, a Friends group of the public open space was also established.
The installation of a fence and walkway at the conservancy was one of the matters discussed at the Subcouncil 3 meeting held on Thursday last week. This project might only be implemented in years to come.
Xolelwa Lusithi, area head: horticulture at the City of Cape Town’s community services and health directorate, presented a report in which she told councillors that the area is a nature sensitive site, and not a biodiversity site like the Tygerberg Nature Reserve or Princess Vlei. She said the community have been involved closely with the ecological unit of their department and that several plants had been discovered – 18 critically endangered species had been identified, Lusithi said.
Lusithi then referred to the recommendation that was made to fence off the area. She said the feedback received from law enforcement and the ecological unit indicates that the area still needs to develop and that the plants also still need to develop.
The value of the fence is said to cost close to R2 million.
Lusithi indicated however that a decision had been taken to give the area five years to develop; to see how the plants react. The recommendation to fence the area is thus not recommended at this stage, she said.
The department is aware of the possibility of vagrants that exist, she said. “We will try and get an interdict to get law enforcement to have them removed when they invade. That application started last week,” she said.
Furthermore, the department seeks to develop the Friends group to look after the nature sensitive site, to allow the site to grow. The mowing of the area will also continue to take place, once a quarter, Lusithi explained. “But no fence is to be installed at this time,” she said.
Miquette Temlett, Ward 5 councillor, said in response to Lusithi’s report that the City’s legal services will have to intervene to ensure that the site is protected. She also highlighted the importance of fencing off the site, adding that the fence does not have to be closed off.
She requested to be included in the discussions regarding the mowing of the area, and also wanted to know when signage will be installed.
With regards to the plant species, Temlett indicated that there are much more than the 18 species recorded, that the parks department must be proactive and not reactive, and that the City cannot afford to lose these species due to its own tardiness.
“Some of these plants are only found in this area,” said Temlett.
Lusithi concluded that there are already 16 other similar sites of which only two have been fenced off.
She repeated that they would monitor the site for five more years and see how it develops. “Perhaps then the site will increase in value, which will allow us to revisit the proposal to fence it off. For now, there is no reason to have it fenced off. It’s not a clean no,” she said.
TygerBurger visited the site on Friday last week. A part of the area had already been fenced off and signage indicating no littering are up. The area is also frequented by vagrants.
One resident told the newspaper that some residents are part of the group tasked with caring for the area.
Roxanne Moses, Subcouncil 3 manager, said they would follow up on the few issues highlighted by the councillors and that they will continue to work with parks and recreation and the community.
