Jeppe SAPS monitoring pub

Jeppe SAPS is monitoring a pub in Albertina Sisulu Road, formerly known as Broadway, following noise complaints.

The EXPRESS was recently contacted by a resident who called for law and order in areas such as Bez Valley before it is too late.

He said there has been a problem with the music levels from a pub in the area for some time now, especially on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

“When complaints were directed at the SAPS and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), they said the business is a legally licensed establishment and there is nothing they can do. If they had the time to investigate further, they would find the establishment was licensed as a restaurant and not as a pub and music venue.

“At the time of the license application, I and many other community members including Councillor Carlos da Rocha and the former Jeppe SAPS station commander, opposed the application. The first application failed but the second went through much to our disgust, as it goes against the requirements of the Liquor License Act regarding schools and places of worship,” said a resident who did not want to be named.

He said authorities must realise these factors impact on residents’ lives and more so on the value of the property they own.

“The more important issue here is that these business owners have no respect for the law or their neighbours. I have been made aware that prostitution, only local talk so far, is becoming the order of the day here as well,” said the resident.

After numerous complaints and nightly SMSes to Clr Da Rocha from residents, some action was taken recently against several businesses of a similar nature in ward 66. Clr Da Rocha previously told the EXPRESS that he secured an operation that was conducted by the JMPD and the City of Johannesburg’s environmental health officials.

“Silence at last we hoped. At 10pm the next evening, it started again. An SMS to Clr Da Rocha stopped it. The general feeling on the ground is that enough is enough. Although Clr Da Rocha has hopefully stopped the noise for now, we need to take our suburb back,” said the resident.

He said residents will be voicing their opinion in a number of ways over the next few months against bylaw contraventions and all other illegal activities.

Following an enquiry sent to the Jeppe SAPS, an inspection was conducted at the pub.

“The liquor officer did an inspection and found everything to be in order. The visible policing commander instructed the liquor officer to monitor the pub in terms of noise,” said Warrant Officer Richard Munyai, the Jeppe SAPS communications officer.

According to W/O Munyai, there used to be numerous problematic liquor establishments in the precinct but most of them are now operating within the law.

“We do receive complaints now and then. Illegal liquor outlets and those which are not operating within the law are being closed down or fined. We have files and every liquor outlet has been profiled. Those that are illegal or problematic are being reported to the authorities and their licenses are being revoked,” said W/O Munyai.

According to W/O Munyai, the commander said he is unaware of prostitution taking place in the area.