Friends of Bisley keeps fighting against all odds

Over and above the ongoing hunting and snaring war the Friends of Bisley Nature Reserve (FOBNR) are actively fighting against in the reserve, 2022 has brought with it another spate of criminal activity to tackle.

Since the start of this year, the reserve has been plagued with multiple cases of theft, where metal, copper and electrical cabling have been the main targets.

Last week, FOBNR got to work installing burglar bars around the storeroom at its Resources Centre, where the FOBNR’s equipment was being stored. FOBNR chairperson Peter West explained that after two years of storing all the tools and equipment used for the reserve at volunteers’ homes and lugging it to the reserve each day, the Msunduzi Municipality finally allocated them a storeroom in the Resources Centre for FOBNR’s tools.

However, two days after taking over the storeroom, the burglar mesh was cut during a burglary over the festive holiday period. A pair of brush cutters and all the municipality maintenance tools had been stolen, and the robbers had ripped out the lights and stolen the electrical cables, as well as the newly installed water tap.

FOBNR members had also discovered trenches dug in parts of the reserve to steal underground cabling. Copper pipes and water metres had also been stolen from the main water supply on Reservoir Hill.

Last week, FOBNR members Jason Stakemire and Vic Grobbler got hard at work installing robust burglar guards around the storeroom, generously donated by Wayne’s Scrap Metal. “We now have secure storage for equipment and materials. Thanks also to Charles Cherry for arranging the donation of a huge amount of tools, a workbench and vice and much needed shelving,” said West.

On Friday, FOBNR members were back at work doing a thorough clean out of the storeroom, that was originally a bunker used to store bombs and ammunition during World War 2. The storeroom had previously stored old fencing poles and bonnox.

“[On Friday] we cleared out some very rotten wooden poles and much mud. Next week we’ll continue with making it suitable before we move the tools in,”

West said.

He added that the building, which is over 75 years old, has a roof that leaks terribly and leaves the floor very wet. “We will need to seal the veranda with some kind of sealer which can handle being walked on. Anyone with contacts in that field, please tell them about our problem and ask them to advise us.”

West urged people to be vigilant when walking in the reserve and to report anything that they feel to be suspicious.

FOBNR members set out to clean the storeroom in the reserve where the group keeps their equipment and tools. The storeroom, originally a bunker used to store ammunition in World War 2, previously stored old wooden fence poles and bonnox fencing. Pictured is Peter West standing in the storeroom.

FOBNR members Vic Grobbler and Jason Stakemire were hard at work last week increasing the security of the storeroom at the reserve, thanks to a generous donation of burglar guards from Wayne’s Scrap Metal.

The storeroom where FOBNR keeps their equipment, was broken into at the beginning of January. The robbers made off with tools, electric cables and water pipes.