Bid to protect jacarandas

Public support sought following application rejection.

- Marizka Coetzer

Residents have been asked to put aside the age-old battle of which city has the most jacaranda trees and sign a petition to have the 136-year-old jacaranda trees planted in Sunnyside, Pretoria, given provincial heritage status in Gauteng.

Federation of Afrikaans Cultural Associations spokesperson Gerhard Pretorius urged residents to sign a petition to declare the trees part of the capital's heritage after the Provincial Heritage Resources Authority Gauteng (Phrag) rejected an application to declare them a provincial heritage.

"According to Phrag, there is no heritage value to the world-famous jacaranda trees that have bloomed in Pretoria for almost 140 years. An appeal was filed against this decision in 2022," he said.

Pretorius said even the City of Tshwane supported the initial request, but this was turned down.

He said that there was clear heritage value to jacaranda trees.