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KNYSNA NEWS - The Masithandane Octopus Garden Under the Sea at Scarab Village in Sedgefield, meant to be a community upliftment project, has been subject to the evils of vandals – not once, but twice over the past few weeks.
According to Masithandane chair Jacky Weaver, the latest incident involved the destruction of one of the octopus' tentacles on Friday 3 August.
"Sometime on Friday or Friday night vandals struck again in the Octopus Garden Under the Sea by deliberately removing and damaging a number of tiles on one of the tentacles. It was discovered on the following Saturday," says Weaver.
"A little while ago vandals also hacked down one of the poles with a large solar light and stole the light. A case of theft and vandalism has been opened for this with the police," she says, adding that vandals have also been slowly destroying the musical instruments erected in the garden.
The octopus in its full glory being enjoyed by the community of Sedgefield at a function in April 2017. Photo: Stefan Goosen
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But what now? Will the octopus remain a seven-tentacled oddity? Definitely not, according to Weaver.
"A group of volunteers has offered to re-mosaic the tentacle but it will take time and is costly to repair," she says.
Would you like to help?
Weaver also appeals to the public for assistance with fixing the tentacle and replacing the pole and solar light. "If anyone would like to help us replace the pole and light or help with materials and tiles to repair the octopus, they can contact me at 082 414 2133."
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