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A BUS STOP that school children painted a mural on almost two years ago as a gift to the community was illegally pain?ted over on Wednesday. People's Post knows the name of the alleged perpetrator, a rich man who lives in Simon's Town for only part of the year, and who apparently thought the bus stop was an eyesore he would put right.'

In 2006, pupils of Kalk Bay Primary School painted a co?lourful array of penguins on the bus stop above the Boulders Beach colony.

On Thursday the bus stop was a stark white, with all signs of the penguins gone.

Ward councillor Nicki Holderness said she was alerted to the incident and contacted the City of Cape Town's Roads and Stormwater Department, which has jurisdiction over the shelter. Holderness was told the white-washing was not authorised or carried out by the city, but that the work was believed to have been carried out by a resident who organised pain?ters to do the job.

The name of the alleged perpetrator, who owns a holiday home in the area, is known to People's Post, but cannot be published if he does not appear in court on a cri?minal charge.

Captain Cesley Olivier, Station Commissioner of the Simon?s Town police, said it is up to the owner of the property to press charges. "The owner of the shelter has the full right to lay a crimi?nal charge of malicious damage to property," she said.

Charles Cooper, a media spokesperson for the City of Cape Town, said they were unhappy with the si?tuation. "The shelter belongs to us. The mural was painted with the permission of the city. Now the plain white wall will invite taggers and graffiti, which will deface the shelter. We are most upset and are tracking down the alleged person and will follow up on this," he said.

Janine Genade, general mana?ger of Boulders Beach Lodge and Restaurant, said the mural was painted by Kalk Bay Primary pupils after she contacted the art teacher, Lynn Willis.

Boulders Beach Lodge and Restaurant secured council permission and paid for the paint.

They also supplied lunches and refreshments to the children and the two teachers who assisted them.

"This person did not consult the community; it was a selfish act on their part. It was a pure act of vandalism. I will certainly be contac?ting the school to request their art class of 2008 redo the penguin-themed bus stop," Genade said.

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