The “Bester Street mechanics”, as the group has been dubbed, have been servicing cars illegally for years.
This week it has transpired that they operate on vacant land belonging to Transnet. However, the municipality, and not Transnet, is responsible for implementing trading by-laws in this area.
Also read: Bester Street mechanics defy law enforcers
Nelspruit Post has been reporting on these illegal mechanics since 2013. In October that year the “mechanics” were located in Bester Street in the CBD. More surfaced in Anderson and Andrews streets, but had to relocate when construction on Crossing Shopping Centre started. In March this year the paper reported that some of them had settled at another spot in Bester Street.
According to a Timmerhout Street business owner, the mechanics showed up close to her business a year ago.
“I was negotiating with Transnet to rent the vacant land between Bester Street and the train tracks. We cleared the area and had barely started utilising it when the municipality notified us that we had to leave,” she said. No lease contract between the source’s company and Transnet had been signed.
“They’ve been at it ever since. We are concerned about the cleanliness of the area. The operators leave the place untidy and it affects our businesses,” Nelspruit Post’s informant said.
Also read: Traffic police deal Bester Street mechanics a blow
Business owners want the municipality to intervene.
City of Mbombela Local Municipality spokesman, Mr Joseph Ngala, said the municipality was aware of the mechanics operating illegally, and that it would “take action to deal with them”.
Ngala said they had been issued with legal notices, ordering them to vacate the premises.
Allegations of fraud and theft in connection with the activities in the area have surfaced. Nelspruit Post has been provided with photos of fuel carriers stopping at the makeshift mechanics for the alleged sale of some of their fuel deposits before proceeding to local fuel stations.
According to the anonymous business owner, the mechanics have been paying rent to a municipality official* who ensured that they would not be removed from the vacant land. Ngala said that the allegation would be investigated and that necessarry steps would be taken.
Also read: Illegal mechanics expand activities
The newspaper contacted Transnet to obtain comment but the enquiry had not been answered by the time of going to press.
* The official’s name is known to the publication, but withheld on legal advice.
