The first swim of the summer for a Weltevreden Park family, mixed with fun outdoor activities under the sun on Saturday, 12 September was unpleasantly interrupted when hordes of Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) members descended on the property to confiscate advertising boards.
The household members, Spencer and Katie Morby, who were left traumatised because they felt victimised and intimidated by the officers, had real estate boards outside their property for about two weeks.
Spencer, a real estate agent, told Northsider that he had three boards, two outside his property and another at the neighbour’s house nailed down on the ground for advertising purposes.
However, on the day of the ‘clean-up’ by JMPD, the boards were targeted.
“While the children were playing soccer in the front yard, they heard sirens go past and thought to themselves someone was in trouble. The next minute they saw them reverse and park outside our house. My stepson alerted my husband when they started taking the boards,” Katie explained.
Spencer jumped out of the pool and went outside in his wet shorts to inquire about the situation.
“When we walked out there were literary five JMPD vehicles including a kombi van, and a total of 16 personnel to remove three boards. When I asked why they were taking my boards, they replied that they had received a complaint from a resident about them,” he recounted.
Spencer braved the whole lot and went up to the vehicle to take back his boards. “They told me I could not take my boards but I told them I had every right to do so,” he said.
He further said they suggested his boards should have a green sticker to be deemed legal. “I told them their knowledge of the by-laws is completely wrong because real estate agents do not require a sticker for boards with for sale, sold or recommend ads,” he stated.
Regardless of the status of the by-law, Spencer added that he was still baffled by the amount of manpower that was dispatched to take down three little boards, also to be the only property owner with boards to be targeted in the area. The couple said that after the incident they drove around and found properties close by still with their posts pinned to the ground.
Ward 126 councillor David Brand was asked to clarify the issue of real estate boards in accordance with the by-laws. He cited that legal boards are those with For Sale and Sold stickers on them.
“The rest with expert signs and recommend are illegal,” he said. Also, Brand cited that legal boards should be parallel to the street and up against the boundary wall. He also mentioned that the custodian of these by-laws is JMPD.
Spokesperson for JMPD, Superintendent Wayne Minnaar, also weighed in on the matter by further explaining what the law stipulates. “According to the by-laws, only one board for For Sale, Sold or Leasing is permitted. The day on which the house is on show only three boards may be displayed indicating the show,” he further clarified.
Regarding the large presence of JMPD, Minnaar told Northsider that when officers conduct an operation they go in a large group, also not to one specific house but the whole area that is the target for that day.
An emotional Katie hoped for law enforcement to use the same energy and drive as they have experienced to fight crime and also to find her missing son whose case is seemingly taking a back seat.
