Sipho Manyise has been dubbed the Plant Whisperer by the residents of Fourways, Johannesburg. Recently he was detained and his signage removed from his informal roadside nursery. Upset by the incident, the community rallied to assist Sipho to become compliant.
A resident of Fourways shared photos of Sipho Manyise, the Plant Whisperer, being slapped on the wrists for his informal nursery which has been a prominent part of Lombardy Road for some time. The JMPD division responsible for implementing by-laws took down all his signage and it really upset the majority of the community.
Sipho has been selling plants on the corner for years and has gained incredible knowledge of plants and how to care for them. He is often featured on the I Love Fourways group for his beautiful garden plants and life-changing fertilisers.
While it is completely understandable that he was singled out by the JMPD, the community decided to step in and help Sipho become compliant with the law.
Many community members offered to check how to help Sipho obtain legal rights to trade while others wanted to be sure that Sipho’s JMPD encounter was, in fact, legal. Others offered to find a new trading spot and move his nursery free of charge.
In the end, Sipho has been granted permission to stay on his corner and has been educated in the by-laws of roadside signage. He now understands that he isn’t allowed to attach his signs to the nearby stop-signs as this creates an unsafe environment.
“Just an update: I am meeting Superintendent Phamla today at Sipho’s site. He agrees that the site is clean and he should stay! He will just educate him with the bylaws replacing signs on stops signs and lampposts !!! He will also inform the councillor just need to send an email.” – Angela Alfonso
The community will be keeping a watchful eye on Sipho to be sure he is ok and willing to step in to assist him if he ever has troubles again. Anyone could argue that Sipho should move but we shall leave you with these two images, one shows Sipho’s nursery back in 2016 when he was interviewed by I Have A Name and the other was taken a day after his encounter. One is not like the other… One shows the love and care he has put into the land around him.
by 