THE huge old blue gum tree towers into the sky, dwarfing the house and backyard rooms next to it.
When the wind blows or storms rage, it creaks and cracks, sending shivers down the spine of Tina du Plessis (56) . . .
This woman from Troyeville, Joburg, lives in terror, fearing the leaning tree will soon come crashing down on her and her tenants!
The tree leans dangerously towards her house.
“That old blue gum tree grew here before I was born, which makes it older than the house,” said Tina.
“I’m very scared of what could happen to my family. We love the tree a lot.
“But I think it’s time for it to go. What worries me is the safety of my tenants and family.”
The worst thing is that young boys like to hang out under the tree at night and to make a fire under it to keep warm.
“The tree keeps getting burnt on one side and I fear it will erode and eventually collapse on my home,” said Tina.
City Parks spokeswoman Jenny Moodley told the People’s Paper they would send a team to investigate.
“Once we have their report we’ll know what steps to take,” she said.
“We’ll only remove the tree if the investigation shows that it poses a deadly threat or if it’s decayed or diseased.”