The travesty of municipal by-laws in Standerton
Charl Cilliers Street is another example where delivery trucks park next to an overflowing skip, intent on providing a retail store between Princess Street and Mbonani Mayisela Street, with goods.
The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and flourishing in Standerton despite apparent contravention of a number of by-laws.
A case in point was the recycling business in Mulder Street, Meyerville which resulted in a rodent infestation.
Rats. mice and fleas were seen, a health hazard without any doubt.
According to Corné Stoltz, Freedom Front Plus councillor, it attracted vagrants to the area, with an increase in theft incidents such as stealing of power cables, fence lights and personal property.
The crux of the matter is that it was operated in a residential area.
A point of concern is zoning of properties as business operations, with business rates charged by the Lekwa Municipality.
“I got calls from the community daily,” Stoltz said.
According to him, the business payed residential rates.
The recycling business was officially closed down with the help of Standerton police on April 12.
According to Stoltz, the site would have been cleared by April 14 and moved to the industrial area.
The Standerton Advertiser noticed on Wednesday, April 20, some of the structures built behind food stalls at the taxi rank in Standerton.
According to information, if someone stays in a structure for more than 72 hours, it is considered to be a residence.
The CBD has a number of businesses and informal shops.
“The taxi rank by all accounts is a haven for escape once chased after stealing valuables,” said Stoltz.
The next-door-neighbours of the newspaper’s offices in Burger Street are another example of a business being run in the courtyard of a block of flats.
It doubles as a mechanical workshop and vehicles are parked to be started regularly at deafening sound levels
Noise pollution at its very best.
More than one local has implored the newspaper to investigate an area that drives them up the wall.
In Charl Cilliers Street, delivery trucks park next to an overflowing skip, intent on providing a retail store between Princess Street and Mbonani Mayisela Street, with goods.
The street also has more than one take-away establishment.
This is another health hazard, not to mention the effect on motorists navigating past the trucks and potholes.
Pedestrians at this stage seem to be aware of the danger and calmly go about their business.
Stoltz said The Waste Management Act 59 of 2008 and Section 177 (2) of the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management By-law of 2016 come to mind.
The Standerton Advertiser contacted Thobeka Mtshiselwa, communications manager of Lekwa, on Wednesday, April 20 at 12:06, enquiring whether by-laws have been approved by council.
No comment was received at the time of going to press.
