Alberton North car wash under scrutiny over noise, liquor and business activities
The City of Ekurhuleni says it was unaware of the activities at the Alberton North property until the matter was brought to its attention, prompting an inspection and planned enforcement action.
A car wash operating on 48 Second Avenue in Alberton North has come under scrutiny after a resident raised concerns about late-night noise and several businesses operating from the premises.
The property is primarily operated as a car wash. Still, a restaurant, a spaza shop, and a liquor-selling operation are also situated on the premises, according to observations made by the Alberton Record during a visit on August 19.
The concerns were raised by Alberton North resident Paul van Straaten, who has lived in the area for more than 30 years.
Van Straaten raised concerns about alleged excessive noise from the premises, claiming that residents are sometimes unable to sleep because of noise continuing until around 02:00, particularly from Thursdays through to Sundays.
City was unaware of complaints
The City of Ekurhuleni spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said the city had not previously received complaints about noise at the property and was unaware of the activities taking place there.
“The matter was brought to the attention of the office on 18 August, through the media enquiry,” Dlamini said.
Dlamini confirmed that environmental health practitioners visited the property for the first time on August 19, after the matter was brought to its attention.
This means the city’s first recorded health inspection of the premises took place only after the concerns were raised with the media.
Restaurant has no COA
One of the findings from the city’s inspection was that the restaurant operating from the premises does not have a certificate of acceptability.
The manager was informed that a Section 56 Notice and a Statutory Notice would be issued for operating without a COA, as well as other related environmental health contraventions identified at the premises.
The city was also asked about allegations that chickens were being slaughtered at the property for use in the restaurant.
However, Dlamini said there were no activities or signs of chicken slaughter during its Environmental Health Practitioner’s inspection of the premises.
He added that the selling of food on the premises and other activities are subject to the property’s approved land-use rights and zoning requirements, which fall under the city’s City Planning Department.
Record visits premises
The Alberton Record visited the car wash on August 19 to investigate the concerns raised about activities at the premises.
The business manager showed the Alberton Record documentation related to the liquor board when asked about alcohol sales.
The manager was also asked whether the restaurant operating at the premises had the necessary permission to do so.
The manager said it did but was unable to provide documentation confirming this at the time of the visit.
The city subsequently confirmed that the facility had not been issued with a Certificate of Acceptability (COA).
The premises also include a spaza shop, which adds to the property’s range of activities.
Business says residents have not complained directly
The Alberton Record asked the manager whether residents had approached the business directly with complaints.
The manager said no residents had approached them directly.
However, the manager acknowledged that one resident had raised concerns about the premises on Facebook and in community WhatsApp groups.
The Alberton Record was then asked to wait for the business’s “big boss”, who was expected to provide further information and comment.
The newspaper waited, but the person did not arrive.
The Alberton Record subsequently left and requested that the senior representative contact the newspaper to provide comment. No response had been received by the time of publication.
Noise allegations
Van Straaten said the noise was one of his biggest concerns.
He alleged that music and other noise from the premises could continue into the early hours of the morning, particularly over weekends.
He said the situation was affecting residents’ ability to sleep and had contributed to concerns about safety in the area.
The city, however, said it had not previously received complaints about noise at the property.
Further compliance questions
While the city has confirmed the restaurant’s lack of a COA and indicated that notices will be issued, questions remain about the broader compliance of the premises.
These include whether the different activities operating from the property comply with the property’s zoning and land-use rights, whether the structures being used for these businesses have the necessary approvals and whether all relevant municipal requirements have been met.
The city indicated that these matters would fall under the relevant municipal departments, including City Planning.
For now, the confirmed absence of a COA means the restaurant has been identified as operating without a required health approval.
The Alberton Record will continue following the matter, including the city’s enforcement action and the property’s land-use and building compliance.
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