SOUTHERN CAPE NEWS - The Western Cape Disaster Management Centre (WCDMC) has been monitoring the spread and the risk posed by a notorious tree killing beetle known as the polyphagous shot-hole borer (PSHB), since August 2018.
To date one-hundred (100) infected reproductive trees have already been removed in the Western Cape. Confirmed infestation are reported in Somerset-West, George and Knysna.
The Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, says the beetle is an alien pest that targets healthy trees and kills them.
“The beetle infects the healthy trees with a disease that rapidly kills them off. It has been known to infect over 110 different tree species including fruit trees like grapevines and avocado trees amongst others. This is naturally a concern to us given the importance of the fruit industry to the Western Cape economy.”
Bredell says if the beetle threat is not controlled, it could have a serious and disastrous effect on the agricultural and tourism sectors in the Province. Notable areas of devastating current infestations include suburbs of Johannesburg such as Sandton and Houghton.
Very tiny
“The beetle is tiny, smaller than 2mm, it reproduces rapidly and has no natural enemies in Africa. It appears to be spreading rapidly and there is little guidance and slow progress from the national government on dealing with the issue, despite the first outbreaks having been reported in 2017. The National Department of Environmental Affairs, Forestry and Fisheries should immediately take full responsibility to control and eradicate to spread of PSHB,” says Bredell.
Councils urged to tackle scourge
In the Western Cape the City of Cape Town has already taken significant measures to deal with the threat and the minister has urged other councils not to take the matter lightly.
“The city has established a task group and is addressing the problem in their area of responsibility. They have established a 24-hour reporting portal and have indicated that this portal may be able to accommodate other municipalities too. I’m urging municipalities to grasp this offer and work together to tackle this scourge.”
In addition, the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) has already been briefed by the province and has indicated it will escalate the matter at a national level.
Funding
“The NDMC has also resolved to brief the new National Minister: Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) in an effort to solicit additional funding to mitigate the spread of the PSHB and will also be raising the situation at the NDMC meeting with the various Provinces,” Bredell says.
Information
For more information or assistance in the matter:
City of Cape Town PSHB reporting line - 086 0103 089
Western Cape Disaster Management Centre - 021 937 6300
For more information on the PSHB please visit the following websites:
https://www.fabinet.up.ac.za/index.php/pshb
https://www.capetowninvasives.org.za/shot-hole-borer
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