By-laws await council approval in Standerton
A drive through the CBD shows the number of informal traders on the pavements and at the Standerton River Park, nothing is new.
If and when by-laws will be enforced in Standerton is an open question. A drive through the CBD shows the number of informal traders on the pavements and at Standerton River Park. The area in Handel Street is a default setting for people wanting to dump rubbish.
The Standerton Advertiser published an article on illegal occupation in Rooikoppen in February and posed a question to the communications officer of the Lekwa Municipality, Thando Nkosi, on February 15.
Nkosi sent an email the following day in which she said Lekwa has drafted the by-law for the control and management of informal settlements.
She went on to say that Lekwa is put under pressure about service delivery to combat land invasion. Lekwa’s Department of Human Settlements could not handle land invasion.
According to Lekwa, legal opinion was sought and the item needed to be considered by council. Executive Mayor Delani Louis Thabete said at the State of the Municipal Address (Soma) in June last year that by-laws will be enforced.
The Advertiser has a draft of the by-laws about Lekwa and discovered the thorny issue of noise nuisances, as amply demonstrated by gatherings at the river park and the Standerton Show Grounds, is attended to.
The municipality may make and administer by-laws for its effective administration. Noise nuisance furthermore, means a level which exceeds the zone level.
It pertains to any sound which disturbs/impairs or may disturb/impair or deemed to disturb/impair the convenience or peace of any person.
Residents need their wits about them when walking in town since the uneven surfaces and the number of stalls are an impediment.
The Standerton Taxi Rank is chock-a-block full of informal traders selling their wares. Charl Cilliers Street has informal vendors and the main street, Beyers Naudé Street towards Princess Street also offers products to consumers.
The argument has been made that these informal traders are not subject to municipal business rates. As regards pavements, a sidewalk means that portion of a verge intended for the exclusive (sic) use of pedestrians.
The Standerton Post Office previously put a stop to vagrants using the inner area for ablution purposes and closed off the area. Lekwa Clean Up Crew (LCUC) and an auto dealer in town cleaned the area the past week.
Workers of the LCUC with refuse bags were also seen opposite the Standerton Tennis Club the past week and removed rubbish.
Begging is also addressed in the draft and it is described as any request made by a person for an immediate donation of money or some other items of value.
Being drunk or under the influence of drugs in a public place is prohibited in this draft. These lofty prescriptions are breached daily in town.
The newspaper contacted Nkosi again the past week in connection with by-laws and was referred to the acting communications manager, Tumelo Raletsoho.
An attempt was made on April 13 to schedule an appointment with the acting manager, and the questions were finally sent via WhatsApp to him.
Comment was requested on the situation about by-laws, as well as a query on whether the chairperson of the committee was mandated to facilitate by-laws had resigned. No feedback was received at the time of going to press.
