Not only did the pilot fly lower than the prescribed 800m, he started playing a game of cat and mouse with a flock of flamingos that were feeding in the vlei.
"I was out walking when I heard the microlight. When I looked up I couldn't see it but the sound was so loud that I knew it was close.
"That is when I saw it, less than 10 metres above the water. As if this was not bad enough he made a beeline for the flock of flamingos that have taking residence here for the past few months. The frightened birds took flight and the bloody idiot banked and set after them!" exclaimed Jan Potgieter, farm owner in the area.
He managed to snap the offending microlight on his phone and looked for the registration number with his binoculars.
A social media appeal was posted to get confirmation of the registration number.
"Within an hour, the registration number was confirmed and a motorist reported that they had also seen the pilot chasing the birds.
" We saw it too. It was a deliberate turn right over them -not once but twice. We were driving on the sand road right there and my husband got out the bakkie and waved his arms then he [the pilot] disappeared. Seems like he makes a habit of it," wrote the motorist.
The pilot, Barthlo Haremse who lives in Herold's Bay first denied flying his microlight over Langvlei, but when told that his registration number was noted and a photograph taken he conceded and said that he didn't know that the area is a National Park. He later confirmed that after looking at a map, he now knows that it is a restricted area and "won't do it again".
He added that he apologises for the interference. Asked why he chased the flamingo he said: "They looked so beautiful, I just needed to get a closer look."
This is not the first time that Haremse has flown low over the area and has posted several YouTube videos of his flight over the wetlands in the area.
One of these videos was named Low Flying over Smooth Waters Garden Route South Africa, but this has been removed from YouTube.
A formal complaint has been laid with The Microlight & Light Sport Aeroplane Association of South Africa (MISASA), The South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Recreational Aviation Authority of South Africa (RAASA) and South African National Parks (SANParks).
Nandi Mgwadlamba, Garden Route National Parks spokesperson responded to the incident: " The Aviation Authority allows for the two and a half thousand feet (800 meters) from the highest point of a protected area. The managing authority for the protected area needs to have issued approval. In this case, SANParks was not consulted, and we are following this matter with our Cape Office.
ARTICLE: FRAN KIRSTEN, CORRESPONDENT
'We bring you the latest Sedgefield, Garden Route news'
