Wimpy fight far from over

HUNDREDS of Scottburgh residents and holiday makers joined AfriForum  in front of the Scottburgh Beachfront Pavilion last Saturday morning to show their dissatisfaction with  Umdoni Municipality’s decision to proceed with the eviction of the Wimpy on the Scottburgh beachfront.

Chris Fourie, provincial coordinator for AfriForum in KwaZulu-Natal, said AfriForum was pleasantly surprised with the turn-out. “On Saturday morning everybody, including the Umdoni Municipality, could see that the Wimpy is very close to the heart of the community.”

Another 736 people added their signatures to the #wimpystay petition, bringing the total to 4 823 signatures. The petition was handed to Umdoni mayor,  Siyabonga Khwela.

In the memorandum AfriForum requested the municipality to reconsider their decision to evict Faurco Investments which has owned the Wimpy for the last 26 years. The mayor was also requested to comment on the following:

• Why the appointment letter addressed to Mrs Myburgh for the pub premises as per instruction of the Exco Committee was never presented to her?

• Mayor Khwela’s alleged interference with the tender process by reportedly instructing Famous Brands not to award a long term franchise agreement to Faurco Investments, because Umdoni Municipality wants  their own people to  benefit from the Wimpy premises lease.

• Mayor Khwela allegedly ensured the current Wimpy staff that they will definitely be employed by the new owner of the Wimpy if Mrs Myburgh is evicted. Does that mean Mayor Khwela has already had this discussion with the new owner of the Wimpy?

AfriForum requested the office of the Mayor to respond in writing to the memorandum within 14 days.

“It’s ironic that Mayor Khwela and his security staff sat down to a Wimpy meal after AfriForum concluded the handing over of the petition and memorandum. Mayor Khwela and Cllr Sykes Naidoo, the Speaker of Umdoni are the biggest proponents in the eviction of Wimpy,” Fourie said.

“We give the community of Scottburgh and all holidaymakers, who visit the beautiful town every year, the assurance that the battle is not yet over. AfriForum will keep on fighting to protect the rights of its members and the community as a whole against politicians and local government officials who only have their personal ambitions at heart,” Mr Fourie concluded.