Cycad sellers at wits' end

2002-05-21 14:08

Thinus Ferreira

Somerset West - The continual theft of cycads, plants and other gardening products from nurseries in the Boland and Helderberg areas, has forced owners to take drastic measures to protect their plants.

Astrid Scheidereiter of Astrid Plants in Firgrove arrested a man on Saturday after he stole more than 60 cycads, worth R35 000, from her nursery over the past two weeks.

The Macassar police station's "Cell C" now houses Scheidereiter's remaining 48 cycads.

The cell is normally used to store stolen goods that have been confiscated, but had to make room for plants when Scheidenreiter decided to take her cycads to the police for safe keeping.

Johannes Grootboom appeared on theft charges in the magistrate's court on Monday, after he was arrested by Scheidereiter.

"In the past five years, several nurseries in the Boland and Helderberg have had plants, gardening tools and pots stolen," said Scheidereiter. "It seems as if it is the work of syndicates, with the public unsuspectingly buying plants from these dealers who sell along the roads."

Jailhouse blues over her cycads

According to nature conservation ordinance 19 of 1974, indigenous cycads may not be sold, bought, donated, transported or replanted without a permit.

Scheidereiter said: "Anything - from pots, seedlings and soil to wooden bridges - disappears overnight. These things cannot simply be carried away by someone and that is why I suspect that syndicates are involved."

Meanwhile, she goes to water her cycads in Cell C every day and plans to keep them there until the perpetrators are behind bars.

"When Sergeant Anthony Erasmus suggested we lock up my cycads in Cell C, I first thought he was referring to the cellphone company," she said.

She has also filed a complaint against a scrap yard where she found some of her stolen plants.

Pieter Breugem, a partner in a Weltevrede nursery, said they also had lost plants to a syndicate.

"Two years ago, we uncovered a syndicate among nursery workers after more than R250 000 worth of plants were stolen.

"The "traders" are still managing to get a foot in the door, however, and they are very selective. It is a vicious circle. They know exactly which plants they want to steal and which plants sell easily," he said.

Paul Gildenhuys of Cape Nature Conservation asked the public to report any suspicious dealings in cycads.

For more than 400 photos of the most exotic cycad species, visit www.junglemusic.net/cycadgallery.htm.

Anyone with information can contact Scheidereiter on 021 842 2642.

- Die Burger