DEAR Editor,-
The Margate Ext 3 community is furious over the refusal of the SAPS to take action against the owner of ‘Downtown Sports Bar’. A successful petition was launched two years ago by the community to close down the shebeen due to, amongst others, noise and violations of the Liquor Act, but residents were extremely surprised when the same shebeen recently opened its doors and started doing business under a new name.
It is clear that the community was not informed about the application with regards to a new liquor licence and are subsequently opposing it with the help of AfriForum.
AfriForum delivered a letter to Lieutenant-Colonel Thabethe of the Margate SAPS and requested answers to the following matters: 1 The refusal of the SAPS to grant a hearing to community complaints and to investigate these complaints; 2 The refusal of the SAPS to take action against senior SAPS members who openly consume alcohol at the shebeen while in full uniform; and, 3 Why the liquor licence was approved without taking community objections and protests into consideration.
AfriForum was also reliably informed that the signature of the official who approved the liquor licence was forged. In the meantime, the matter was handed over to the Hawks to launch an investigation into the allegations mentioned above. AfriForum gave Lt-Col Thabethe 72 hours to respond in writing, but, once again, he did not fulfil his mandate to investigate a complaint and provide feedback to the community.
The civil rights watchdog referred the matter to the provincial commissioner and requested her to force the SAPS in Margate to take the necessary action.
This is simply more proof that AfriForum won’t hesitate to take action in order to protect the rights of its members and the community. Join AfriForum by sending an SMS with the name of your town to 45267 at a cost of R1 per sms.
WESSEL PRETORIUS
Chairman, AfriForum Margate branch
