marine1
Honorary Master
http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/gauteng/trees-in-the-way-just-hack-them-down-1.1044238
This is a disgrace, they should prosecute them for malicious damage to property.
I hope these pricks get what they deserve.
Two companies responsible for hacking down indigenous trees to make way for a gigantic Mercedes-Benz billboard could find themselves having to fork out hundreds of thousands of rand in damages to the Joburg council.
The council has threatened legal action against OMD and its subcontractor, JB Media Connection, after the eight trees were chopped down along Sandton Drive last week.
“We are currently pursuing various legal options,” City Parks spokeswoman Jenny Moodley said yesterday.
According to Moodley, the indigenous Rhus lancea trees (commonly known as the Karee) were planted 30 years ago along Sandton Drive and are valued at R32 400 each.
JB Media Connection (JBMC), owned by Brian Lindquist, is alleged to have chopped them down
Apparently Mercedes-Benz’s media buying agency, OMD, worked with JB Media Connection to supply outdoor advertising space for a billboard ad campaign.
The billboard was hastily removed after the row broke out on Thursday.
On its website, OMD is described as the top independent media specialist in South Africa. It also has offices in Cape Town, Durban, Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria. Last year it was named the Most Creative Media Agency in the World.
Although the billboard was pulled down on instructions from Mercedes, City Parks said the hackers would not get away with their destruction.
“We were approached by a company that admitted liability and have since identified it as a culprit. This has been severely detrimental for us because we have just come out of planting 2 000 trees worth over R2 million and then we have someone with a total disregard for the environment.
“We are very upset about this,” said Moodley.
However, she would not divulge the name of the company due to legal process, she said.
Asked whether criminal charges would be laid, Moodley declined to comment.
She said the company in question would, however, be expected to pay the money and re-plant the trees through a five- year rehabilitation programme.
Mercedes-Benz marketing manager Maretha Gerber said they were still shocked.
“We have taken decision to hold our media agency (OMD) liable. We are at this stage not doing any payments. All production and any other costs will be handled by them. I’ve instructed them to take down my branding as I feel that I needed to take one step in showing our disapproval of their actions.”
In his comments to a community newspaper, Lindquist was quoted as saying that JBMC had not in fact removed all the trees but a couple of shrubs and some alien trees which they would later replace with an indigenous garden.
But Nick Human, popularly known for his orange stickers aimed at combating illegal out-door advertising across the city, said enough was not being done to prosecute people who broke the law.
“The fines are not enough. There’s not sufficient punishment. Everyone involved in breaking the law should be taken to task. Hefty fines should apply to all stakeholders as this will prevent others from getting away scot-free.
“It’s the only way to stop this madness and stop these advertisers from carrying out illegal activities,” he said.
An OMD staff member, identified as Nathalie, said: “Everything that has to be said is already published in the media.”
Previously, OMD media director Michelle Brook said the contract with JMBC had included a requirement to obtain local authority permission.
She said OMD was aware of the complaints made and as a result was investigating the matter further. - Saturday Star
This is a disgrace, they should prosecute them for malicious damage to property.
I hope these pricks get what they deserve.
Two companies responsible for hacking down indigenous trees to make way for a gigantic Mercedes-Benz billboard could find themselves having to fork out hundreds of thousands of rand in damages to the Joburg council.
The council has threatened legal action against OMD and its subcontractor, JB Media Connection, after the eight trees were chopped down along Sandton Drive last week.
“We are currently pursuing various legal options,” City Parks spokeswoman Jenny Moodley said yesterday.
According to Moodley, the indigenous Rhus lancea trees (commonly known as the Karee) were planted 30 years ago along Sandton Drive and are valued at R32 400 each.
JB Media Connection (JBMC), owned by Brian Lindquist, is alleged to have chopped them down
Apparently Mercedes-Benz’s media buying agency, OMD, worked with JB Media Connection to supply outdoor advertising space for a billboard ad campaign.
The billboard was hastily removed after the row broke out on Thursday.
On its website, OMD is described as the top independent media specialist in South Africa. It also has offices in Cape Town, Durban, Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria. Last year it was named the Most Creative Media Agency in the World.
Although the billboard was pulled down on instructions from Mercedes, City Parks said the hackers would not get away with their destruction.
“We were approached by a company that admitted liability and have since identified it as a culprit. This has been severely detrimental for us because we have just come out of planting 2 000 trees worth over R2 million and then we have someone with a total disregard for the environment.
“We are very upset about this,” said Moodley.
However, she would not divulge the name of the company due to legal process, she said.
Asked whether criminal charges would be laid, Moodley declined to comment.
She said the company in question would, however, be expected to pay the money and re-plant the trees through a five- year rehabilitation programme.
Mercedes-Benz marketing manager Maretha Gerber said they were still shocked.
“We have taken decision to hold our media agency (OMD) liable. We are at this stage not doing any payments. All production and any other costs will be handled by them. I’ve instructed them to take down my branding as I feel that I needed to take one step in showing our disapproval of their actions.”
In his comments to a community newspaper, Lindquist was quoted as saying that JBMC had not in fact removed all the trees but a couple of shrubs and some alien trees which they would later replace with an indigenous garden.
But Nick Human, popularly known for his orange stickers aimed at combating illegal out-door advertising across the city, said enough was not being done to prosecute people who broke the law.
“The fines are not enough. There’s not sufficient punishment. Everyone involved in breaking the law should be taken to task. Hefty fines should apply to all stakeholders as this will prevent others from getting away scot-free.
“It’s the only way to stop this madness and stop these advertisers from carrying out illegal activities,” he said.
An OMD staff member, identified as Nathalie, said: “Everything that has to be said is already published in the media.”
Previously, OMD media director Michelle Brook said the contract with JMBC had included a requirement to obtain local authority permission.
She said OMD was aware of the complaints made and as a result was investigating the matter further. - Saturday Star
