POLOKWANE – The well-known vehicle washing spot along Thabo Mbeki Street, near the Jack Botes Park, where residents could wash their cars while enjoying local delicacies, has been moved further downtown by the Polokwane Municipality.

While this spot had become a popular hangout, it also became a hub for water theft, drug-peddling, and other violations of municipal bylaws.

The area, intended for loading and unloading commuters in taxis and buses, had become a public nuisance due to uncleanliness and constant water runoff on the tarmac.

Mayor John Mpe noted that maintaining the tarmac was a continuous expense for the city.

On Friday, he announced that car washers have been organised into cooperative groups and relocated to a dedicated municipal car wash facility at the corner of Dahl and Thabo Mbeki Street.

The old site, where informal traders with permits still operate, has been fenced off to protect infrastructure.

This decision followed a meeting of the Water and Sanitation Council Committee, which Polokwane Observer attended, where the intention to find a new location for the washers to prevent further illegal water use, was discussed.

EFF proportional representative councillor Thapelo Rakoma expressed concern about washers using tools like spanners to illegally access water from hydrants without paying.

The committee had previously agreed that car washers must apply for permits to continue their businesses on municipal property, ensuring compliance with municipal law.

These changes come in preparation for the soon-to-be-launched Leeto La Polokwane transportation system, with a new bus station built opposite the park in Thabo Mbeki Street.

However, some car washers are concerned about the sustainability of the new location due to the associated fees. Peggy Serole, one of the washers, shared his worries:

“For now, I just wash cars around the city because we are not allowed there anymore. I am yet to enquire with the municipality regarding their expectations at the new place. For now, business is slow because not all customers know about the move. They go there and don’t find us. I hardly make enough to sustain my family of two toddlers. So I am not yet certain if I will manage paying for the permit,” he told Polokwane Observer.

As the city moves forward with these changes, it remains to be seen how the new arrangements will impact the livelihoods of the informal car washers and the overall community.