WINDY SEASON: RESIDENTS URGED TO PUT DOWN OLD TREES
Tree falls from private property, smashes passing car, blocks road
As we enter the windy season, the Municipal Council of Manzini would like to advise residents of the city to inspect their trees and ensure they are stable enough to withstand strong winds.
Old trees can be very dangerous to life and property during windy days. At the age of 15 years or more, trees usually give a cracking sound during windy periods and that is a sign of old age. At this age, tree species that are most susceptible to being blown down by the gentlest of breeze are eucalyptus, pine and blue jacaranda. The Municipality urges property owners to cut trees that are old and plant replacement ones so that the city remains green.
Just last week the city experienced two incidences, one in Coates Valley and another in Fairview, whereby trees collapsed from private properties and blocked nearby roads. In one of the incidences a vehicle that was passing by got smashed. The Municipality does take an inventory of all trees on a monthly basis and those that are found to be requiring trimming are pruned from time to time whilst those that are found to be posing danger are put down and replacement ones planted. The Municipality recently engaged in a tree planting exercise wherein a total of 39 indigenous trees were planted in various parts of the city including the city centre. It is also important to educate members of the public that the Municipality is not responsible for trees that are within private property but those that are on road reserves, public open spaces and Council properties. Property owners are responsible for taking care of trees that are within their properties. The Municipality further implores residents to desist from parking their vehicles under old trees; particularly on windy days. They are also urged to alert the Municipality whenever they come across fallen trees, poles or cables on roads and other public spaces so that they can be removed.
…TAKE PRECAUTION, PREVENT WILD FIRES
Manzini residents are urged to observe all safety precautions and ensure the city is safe from wild fire during the dry season. Wild fire places property and human beings at risk.
The occurrence of uncontrolled fire in an urban area is one of the highest risks a city can ever be exposed to particularly in view of the land use set up that exists within municipalities. The fact that properties are clustered and only separated by mere fencing as opposed to the rural situation makes fire one of the greatest enemies of the city. Residents are urged to refrain from using fire for overgrowth clearing in their vacant plots. Burning of any material is not permitted in the Manzini urban area. The Municipality provides a skip service at a fee of E100 per load. Garden waste such as tree leaves, branches or logs are to be disposed of using the skip. The skip service is accessible through the Municipality’s Community Services department. Furthermore, motorists are urged to refrain from throwing cigarette stumps through vehicle windows after smoking as that can cause uncontrolled fire during windy periods. Make sure you completely extinguish the fire before disposing the ash. Ensure the ash is not smouldering when disposing it. Ash is a serious cause of fire. If there is smoke it means the ash is still burning. Never take smoke for granted because it might turn into a raging fire in no time and cause havoc. Use adequate water to put out the fire.
…WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF FIRE
In the event of uncontrolled fire please immediately alert the Eswatini National Fire and Emergency Services on their toll free number (933) or inform the Royal Eswatini Police by dialling 999 or 9999. Make sure you give clear directions to the person who will answer the call. Unclear or wrong directions cause unnecessary delays. Never take fire for granted. It might appear small and harmless but turn big and fierce in no time. Also be worried when you see smoke as that is always an indication of fire.
…GETTING YOUR WORKPLACE READY FOR COVID-19
As the ongoing partial lockdown in the Kingdom of Eswatini is being relaxed and more businesses are allowed to operate, the Municipal Council of Manzini would like to share the following World Health Organization tips on how to apply basic Covid-19 preventative measures in the workplace. The low-cost measures below, which the Municipality is already practicing, will help minimise chances of the spread of Covid-19 infections in your workplace.
- Make sure your workplace is clean and hygienic. Surfaces such as desks and tables and objects such as telephones and computer keyboards need to be wiped with disinfectant regularly. This is because contamination on surfaces touched by employees and customers is one of the main ways that COVID-19 spreads.
- Promote regular and thorough hand-washing by employees and customers. Put hand sanitizer dispensers in prominent places around the workplace. Make sure these dispensers are regularly refilled. Also display posters promoting handwashing. Make sure employees and customers have access to places where they can wash their hands with soap and water. Handwashing kills the virus on your hands and prevents the spread of COVID19.
- Promote good respiratory hygiene in the workplace. Display posters promoting respiratory hygiene. Ensure employees have and properly use face masks. Good respiratory hygiene prevents the spread of COVID-19.
- Ensure physical distancing of at least 1.5 metres is applied at your workplace; by both your employees and customers.
Keep promoting the message that people need to stay at home even if they have only mild symptoms of COVID-19. Display posters with this message in your workplace.
