Municipality gives reasons for emptying Mr Hassen’s shop
Municipality said they were responding to the deliberate violations of the applicable legislation.
LEBOHANG – Mr Bheki Kubheka, senior manager and acting head of Communications and Marketing of the Govan Mbeki Municipality, responded to the allegations that the municipality is inciting xenophobia in Lebohang Township.
This was after the municipality had emptied the shop of Mr Muhammad Hassen on Thursday, 31 December.
Mr Hassen, who is a Somali national, and other Somalis are fighting with Ethiopians in the area.
Mr Kubheka said the operation by the municipality was in response to the deliberate violations of applicable legislation and the refusal by the occupants/operators of the building (stand 3837 Lebohang Ext 10) to heed several calls to cease illegal activities.
“The municipality had meetings on 24 and 30 November last ywar durung which Mr Hassen and the property owner of stand 3837 Ext 10 were requested to cease the construction of the building as such building was in violation of the National Building Regulation Act of 1977, the Mpumalanga Business Act No 163 of 1996 and the Govan Mbeki Municipal Land Use Scheme as outlined below:
Construction without written consent.
Failure to ask for inspection
Failure to identify a peg or beacon of site
The property (stand) falls within the Land Use Category of residential which means that the property can be used for dwelling as per permitted land use application approved on the 03 of August 2011.
“The property may not be utilized for business.
“Notices with regards to the transgression were served by the Municipal Compliance and Law Enforcement unit on 25 November and 7 December which they refused to sign and further to this was the notice issued by the Building Control unit on the 10 December which they also refused to sign.
“The Mpumalanga Business Act No 163 of 1996 provides for the removal or impoundment of any goods used in or in connection with the carrying of illegal business activity and thus the confiscation was lawfully implemented and this process will be carried throughout the jurisdiction of the municipality targeting all transgressors through a process of issuing of notices.
“The Municipal Compliance and Law enforcement unit was established for the purpose of ensuring that business and community adhere to legislation and all municipal by-laws.
“It is the municipality’s responsibility to govern within its area of jurisdiction in line with the prescript of section 156 of the constitution and the state of anarchy will not be tolerated as all.
“It must be noted that the municipality is merely ensuring adherence to legislation and does victimise or discriminate any foreign nation.”
For more information on Compliance and Law enforcement issues, please contact the office of the Director Community Services at 017 620 6310/6316.
