Overstrand Municipality is continuously clearing tree branches on municipal property and sidewalks from overhead power lines where necessary. We encourage property owners to do the same to reduce the risk of power outages.

Property owners are responsible for ensuring that trees on their property do not interfere with overhead power lines, despite the potential cost. The Municipality is not authorised to prune trees on private property where they interfere with power lines. This maintenance is the responsibility of Eskom in areas such as Onrus.

Residents need to help and encourage their neighbours to prune their trees to prevent power outages, especially in the Onrus area where many trees are growing into or growing over power lines.

This includes addressing branches that extend over property boundaries and obstruct sidewalks or hinder the movement of vehicles on roads.

According to the Tree Policy, property owners must prune overhanging branches to provide a 2.3-meter clearance over sidewalks and a 4-meter clearance over streets. Additionally, branches should not block street signs or streetlights to ensure proper visibility.

If you need to address or manage overhanging branches, you can either hire a private contractor or contact the Environmental and Conservation Division for information on contractors used by the Municipality.

Please remember that residents must obtain permission before pruning or removing trees on municipal property or public land. Requests should be submitted to enquiries@overstrand.gov.za for the attention of the Environmental & Conservation Division or via the Collaborator app. Each request will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

You can view Overstrand Municipality’s Tree Policy on our website at www.overstrand.gov.za. Navigate to Documents, then Policies, and select Urban Tree Policy.