ONE of the best tourist attractions in Umngeni Municipality has been ruined by the uncontrolled growth of forest.
The World’s View Park, which is a national heritage site, provides a spectacular view of the Pietermaritzburg CBD, countryside, industrial areas, suburbs and local townships.
“From up here there are excellent views over Pietermaritzburg, Table Mountain (not the one in Cape Town), eMkhambathini and the surrounding countryside. On a clear day, some say, you can see as far as Durban,” read the website www.sa-venues.com/attractionskzn/worlds-view.
However, the site currently does not provide that exciting view of KwaZulu-Natal capital city.
This journalist last weekend did what he normally does when he wants to entertain friends and visitors who are not familiar with the Midlands. He led them to Queen Elizabeth Park, where they were excited to see wild animals. The group then went to World View to see what Pietermaritzburg looked like when viewed from more than 180m above the CBD.
However, they were disappointing because not much could be seen because the trees in front of the viewing point were so tall they almost completely blocked the view.
Although the park promoted views of Pietermaritzburg, which falls under Msunduzi Municipality, it was a facility of the Umngeni Municipality.
Umngeni Municipality spokesperson Thando Mgaga said although his municipality was responsible for maintenance such as grass-cutting, litter removal and maintaining order, the troublesome trees were the responsibility of Msunduzi.
He said Umngeni benefited from the park because tourists would normally spend money at the local restaurants and hotels.
Mgaga said although the municipality had not received a complaint about the trees, it had dealt with the issue of alcohol consumption at the site.
“This was quickly attended to by law enforcement officers,” he said.
An official from the Umngeni Tourism, a local non-profit organisation, said she had visited the park for an on-site inspection.
“About 30 days ago I was there to do a site inspection. The growth of the trees around the area was one of the things we noticed,” said the officer who was not authorised to speak to the media.
“We are in talks with the municipality in charge of the maintenance of the area,” she said.
Official questions sent to Umngeni Tourism and Msunduzi Municipality spokesperson Ntobeko Ngcobo were not answered.
The park was gazetted in May 1968 as the monument of the historical Voortrekker, and was a popular place for locals and visitors, including families and school pupils, to learn about history while enjoying the views.
Over the years it has deteriorated because of neglect.
Local and international tourists who had visited the area expressed their opinions on www.tripadvisor.co.za.
Jon M from Sandton wrote: “Not a great visitor site. Looks run down, long grass and did not appear (to) receive much attention from the local council. Disappointing.”
JJans2014 from Oud-Turnhout in Belgium wrote in 2018: “If the weather is CLEAR, this is one of those places you must visit: the view is stunning and the little park presents the history very well. Of course, beware of the potholes in the road.”
The potholes are still there.
Local resident Burkhard S said: “...on my last visit to World’s View, I was left dumbstruck” and that the municipality in charge had let it “get very rundown and overgrown”.
The post said locals had tried to rehabilitate the area and get “the concerned Municipality to assist in caring for their asset”.
It called for its restoration to its former glory from which “on a clear day, one can see over Pietermaritzburg and into the distant horizon”.