Tree Felling East Rand

Tree Felling East Rand covers the length of the old Reef east of Johannesburg, from Edenvale and Kempton Park through Benoni and Boksburg out to Brakpan and Springs.

Tree Felling East Rand works mostly on established suburbs laid out between the thirties and the seventies, where the garden trees are now large and the houses have not moved.

What the Job Involves

The typical job is a mature gum, jacaranda or conifer row on a standard suburban stand, coming down in sections because there is a roof on one side and a boundary wall on the other.

Verge trees across most of this area belong to the City of Ekurhuleni rather than to the property owner, and that catches people out regularly. If the trunk is on the pavement, it is a municipal matter and no private contractor should be taking it down for you.

Trees We Get Called To

• Blue gum — The standard large removal, invasive and heavy.
• Jacaranda — Widespread. Brittle limbs, surface roots that lift paving, and no replanting permitted.
• Syringa — A declared invasive that suckers hard from cut stumps and roots.
• Cypress and conifer screens — Boundary plantings taken out as a row rather than one at a time.
• Palms — Common in older gardens and priced separately from broadleaf trees.

Tree Felling East Rand Price Guide

Job	Indicative range	What moves it
Small tree, up to 5 m	R850 – R2 500	Open access, one drop zone
Medium tree, 5 – 10 m	R2 500 – R6 500	Whether it can be dropped whole
Large tree, 10 – 20 m	R6 500 – R15 000	Rigging, roof and wall clearance
Very large tree, 20 m+	R12 000 – R25 000+	Crane or MEWP hire if needed
Sectional dismantle near a structure	+30% – 60%	Every piece lowered on ropes
Stump ground out afterwards	R600 – R3 000	Diameter and machine access
Green waste removal	R650 – R3 500	Bakkie load through to truck load

What Pushes the Price Up in East Rand

• Whether the tree is on the verge or inside the boundary
• Side access on older suburban stands
• Overhead cables, common on the older street layouts
• Distance and travel where the property is at the far end of the Reef

Permits and Protected Trees

Street and verge trees here belong to the City of Ekurhuleni rather than to the adjoining owner, so anything growing on the pavement is a call to the metro's parks department and not to a contractor. Ekurhuleni runs its own approval process for pavement trees, and a company that offers to take one down without it is exposing you rather than helping you. Trees inside your boundary are yours to deal with, subject to the species rules below.

Two other rules run alongside that. Species protected under the National Forests Act need a permit from the national department before removal, whoever owns the land and wherever the tree stands. Declared invasive species run the opposite way — there is a legal duty to control them, which is why blue gum, syringa, wattle and poplar removals are rarely refused. Jacaranda sits in between: existing trees in urban areas may stay, but the species is listed and replanting is not permitted. Estates, body corporates and homeowners' associations frequently add their own approval process on top of the municipal one. Check which of these applies before booking, not after.

Other Work in the Area

Nearby areas: Kempton Park · Benoni · Boksburg · Germiston · Springs · Edenvale

East Rand is one area within the wider service coverage. For the full breakdown of methods, species and pricing, start at Tree Felling Johannesburg.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does tree felling in East Rand cost?

Most residential jobs land between R2 500 and R15 000. The band depends far more on what is underneath the tree than on the tree itself — a 12 m tree with a clear drop zone is a fraction of the cost of the same tree overhanging a roof, because the second one has to come down piece by piece on ropes.

Can a tree be felled close to my house?

Yes, but not by dropping it. It gets climbed or reached with a MEWP and taken down in sections, each piece roped and lowered rather than allowed to fall. That is slower and costs more, and it is the correct method when there is a roof, a boundary wall, paving or a pool underneath.

Do you take the wood away?

Ask before you accept a quote — this is the most common reason two quotes differ. Some include full removal of timber and brush, some leave the wood stacked on site, and some charge separately for haulage. Get it in writing either way.

What about the stump?

Felling normally leaves a stump at ground level. Grinding or excavating it out is a separate line item. If you are going to pave, plant or build over the spot, deal with the stump in the same visit — bringing a machine back later costs more than doing it while the crew is on site.

Which municipality am I dealing with on the East Rand?

Most of it — Kempton Park, Edenvale, Bedfordview, Germiston, Boksburg, Benoni, Brakpan, Springs, Alberton — falls under the City of Ekurhuleni, not the City of Johannesburg. That matters for anything on a verge or pavement, because approvals go through Ekurhuleni's parks department. Trees inside your own boundary are yours either way, subject to the species rules.

How do I get quotes for Tree Felling East Rand?

Describe the tree once — rough height, what is underneath it, and how close a vehicle can get — and add a photo taken from a few metres back so the whole tree is in frame. Companies covering the area receive it and quote you directly. It is free and there is no obligation to appoint anyone.