[I love the way our Government will over-use force when it comes to “crimes” that have no meaning (e.g. smoking), yet a murderer or baby rapist will be “forgiven”. Look at this new ridiculous law. Jan]

The Tshwane Metro Council has warned: residents all over the city who have alien plants in their gardens face fines of up to R5 000.

People could even be sent to jail, although jail for a first offence is unlikely.

Declaring war on alien vegetation, the municipality has appointed weed control inspectors to ensure that residents comply with the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act.

Plant offences are apparently widespread, but it is thought that many property owners and tenants are unaware that they are falling foul of the law.

Weed control inspectors are visiting residents in the Tshwane Metro area
Janet Loubser, head of environmental management, says weed control inspectors are visiting residents in the Tshwane Metro area to inform them about the invader plants.

She said these plant police would usually first issue a contravention notice before imposing a fine.

The amount varies according to the class of the alien plant.

“People are normally given 30 days to remove the plant. But failure to do so will lead to a fine,” said Loubser.

According to the Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act of 1983, residents who fail to comply with a contravention notice could be fined R5 000 or sent to jail for up to two years, or both penalties, for a first conviction.

This could be doubled for a second or subsequent conviction.

According to the municipality, invasive alien plants are those which have been brought to South Africa from other countries for aesthetic reasons, economic value or ecological purpose.

The municipality says some of the plants were brought in unintentionally.

The plants or seeds enter the country in a number of different ways – for example, on people’s shoes or in tents after a camping trip, or they may have been ordered by mail and are transported via ships or planes.

Invasive alien plants threaten the indigenous vegetation as they use valuable and limited water resources. Most of them use more water than indigenous plants and are depleting valuable underground water resources.

The plants have been divided into three categories – declared weeds, declared invaders (plants with commercial value, or plants with ornamental value). Declared invaders are plants that must be controlled (removed) on land or water surfaces by all land users.

The declared invaders are lantana, pom pom weed, bugweed, azolla, queen of the night, pampas grass, cat’s claw creeper, red sesbania, yellow oleander, yellow bells and water hyacinth.

These may no longer be planted or propagated and all trade in their seeds, cuttings or any other propagation is prohibited.

Declared invaders are plants that pose a threat to the environment but nevertheless can be exploited for timber, fruits, fuel wood, medical plants, animal fodder or building material.

The plants include black wattle, patula pine, sisal, red eye, grey poplar, watercress, Port Jackson willow, guava, cluster pine, honey locust and weeping willow (not to be confused with the indigenous willow), jacaranda, syringa, Australian silk oak, St Joseph’s lily, sword fern, tipu tree and New Zealand Christmas tree.

Residents have been urged to learn to identify and remove invasive alien plants, join or form a hacking team to remove invaders and plant indigenous (local) plants in their garden.

The municipality has also urged residents to buy only indigenous plants from their local nursery and to replace the invasive alien plants with an indigenous plant. Residents should use these methods to control the invasive plants; uprooting, felling, cutting, burning, treatment with registered herbicides, biological control or any other recognised and appropriate method.

What can you do

Familiarise yourself with the legislation

Ensure that others in your area know the implications of harbouring declared weeds and invader plants

If you manage your own land, keep it clear of invasive alien plants

Tell family members about the problems and threats posed by invasive plants

Do not buy invasive plants from nurseries

Form a hack group or adopt-a-plot in your community (consult a professional for advice on clearing methods)

Report any invasive species to the authorities

Report those whose actions lead to invasive plants being propagated

Never bring foreign plants into the country

Respect quarantine requirements

Lobby those in positions of influence to take the right steps against invasive alien species

This article was originally published on page 1 of Pretoria News on April 25, 2005

Source: Independent Online (IOL)
URL: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click…/p>