Following the brutal murder of Golden Lions rugby player, Thulani Popoyi at one of Melville’s beloved bars, controversy regarding the validity of the operating licence of the pub have arisen.
According to the owner of the building where Dollar Table is situated, the club was operating with a valid licence.
“When he rented the place from us, we gave the club owner a licence and he had to transfer it to his name,” he said.
The building owner however admits that he never asked the recently arrested club owner if he had done so.
“The place was vacant for two years, a lot of people wanted the place but I waited until I got someone I felt was the right person,” explained the building owner.
He alleges that he performed a thorough search prior to renting out his premises. “I did a search on the accused and felt he was the right person, what more can I do,” he inquires.
According to the 7th Street building owner, if there were any concerns, the police should have dealt with it. “The police should have raided the place if there were ever any reports or concerns. It is not my duty to have the place raided,” he adds.
On the other hand, Ward 87 Councillor Amanda Forsythe said, “I have been trying to shut this place [Dollar Table] down since last year, because it was operating without a valid licence”.
Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini, the Gauteng police spokesperson is looking into the licence validity issue.
