Tourism head in court on cycad permit charge

By Derrick Spies

THE head of tourism for the Port Alfred-based Ndlambe region, and her landscaper son, appeared in court yesterday on charges of illegal possession of cycads.

Bev Young, a high-profile figure in the seaside town, was challenged by conservation authorities when she could not produce permits for the endangered plants they found in her garden. But speaking after she and her son, Eadon, 34, appeared in the Port Alfred magistrate’s court, Young said the charges were a “storm in a teacup”.

“I am standing here with a fax in my hand from the nursery where I bought the cycads that shows I purchased them, and that I had permission to move them to my property,” she said.

Young said she had submitted applications for the relevant permits, which would allow her to keep the cycads on her property, to the relevant conservation officer in Grahamstown over 18 months ago. She said she was still waiting for these to be processed.

“The main controversy is over a cycad that had been chopped up elsewhere and that I had transported to my property,” she said.

Young explained that her gardener had told her about the tree in question, which had been destroyed in the wild. She had subsequently contacted the conservation department, who had informed her that it would not be necessary to obtain a permit for the tree, as long as she took photos to show where she had found it.

“I then asked my son, Eadon, to collect the tree pieces, as I had been told by cycad experts there was a 20 per cent chance of reviving the plant,” she said.

Young said the police and a conservation officer from the Ndlambe Municipality had approached her last week, and had asked her if they could enter her premises on the Royal Alfred Marina in Port Alfred.

“I gladly gave them permission. The police were there to query the cut-up cycad. However, when the conservation officer saw the other plants, he asked me for the permits, which I could not produce at the time, but I now have them in my possession,” she said.

Young said she had not been suspended, and would be continuing her job as normal. “I have notified the tourism committee about the charges, and they have been very supportive. No-one believes that I have actually done anything illegal,” she said.

Ndlambe environmental law officer Roget Fox confirmed that a charge of illegal possession had been opened for the possession of 11 adult cycads without permits. He said the defendants had appeared in court. They were not asked to plead and the case has been postponed to October 27.

Ndlambe municipal manager George Ngesi said he was aware of the case, but declined to comment.

Eastern Cape Tourism Board chairman Glenton de Kok would also not comment yesterday.