Zwaanswyk wins 4-year battle for electric fence

Zwaanswyk residents have finally been given the green light to erect an electrified perimeter fence around virtually the entire suburb.

The local property owners' association has been lobbying for the fence for about four years, mainly as an antibaboon measure. The small suburb tucked behind Steenberg Golf Estate is one of the highest-lying in Cape Town, and backs directly on to the Table Mountain National Park.

As a result of this proximity, a number of homes have in the past experienced raids by baboons coming down from the mountain slopes in search of food.

But that should now be a thing of the past, says Pam Golding Properties' area manager for the southern suburbs, Howard Markham, who believes the new fence is good news for Zwaanswyk property owners. "The fence will reduce - or hopefully eliminate - the possibility of baboon raids," Markham says, "and it will also serve a secondary function of providing extra security for the suburb.

"This additional security will boost the popularity of an already sought-after suburb."

He says the fence will run all the way from the bottom of Zwaanswyk Road along the residential perimeter, joining up with the existing electrified perimeter of Steenberg Golf Estate. The result is that more than 99 percent of the suburb's perimeter will be enclosed, with the remaining tiny gap covered by baboon monitors during the day, and security guards at night. The fence will have six electrified pedestrian gates, four of them suitable for horse riders to use safely - an important factor in this community, which is very popular with horse owners and riders.

A number of baboon specialists have given input on the fence project, supporting electrified fencing as a better solution to preventing humanbaboon interaction than the alternative of culling. SANParks' chief executive has also signed off on the project, as the fence will border on Sanparks land. The expected cost of close to R1 million is to be funded by the local residents' association, and installation of the fence is expected to be completed by the end of June.

Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)

Posted at 08:42AM Feb 06, 2012 by Editor in Cities and Towns  |  Comments[1]