WATCH: Crackdown on illegal activities aims to transform La Rochelle
Vendors, hawkers and illegal tenants have turned La Rochelle into a place where social ills thrive.
The Faraday Taxi Association, the Rosettenville Progressive Business Forum, ward councillors, the Moffat View CPF, the SAPS, the JMPD and business owners from the area held an evaluation walkabout around La Rochelle.
There was a specific focus on Video Town to evaluate food vendors, hawkers and the many illegal tenants who have made the area a dump and a criminal hotspot.
Vendors, hawkers and illegal tenants have turned most of La Rochelle into a place where social ills can thrive.
For this reason, the key role players and stakeholders united to remove illegal tenants and improve the infrastructure for people who sell food to locals so that legal and monitored trading can happen while maintaining the area and keeping it clean and safe.
Vendors and illegal tenants violate city by-laws because they make open fires in a closed environment and the constant noise and air pollution by panel beaters operating on premises they neither own nor rent.
The amount of rubbish and waste has polluted the area.
Another issue is crime in the area because of a lack of police presence and security. Many crimes happen at night, which could be rectified with the help of the above-mentioned team.
Simphiwe Htlafa of the Rosettenville Progressive Business Forum spoke about the changes needed to improve La Rochelle.
@southern.courier Simphiwe of the Rosettenville Progressive Business Forum spoke about the changes needed to improve La Rochelle.
“All the key role players that converged today are important. Each representative will have a role in changing the situation in La Rochelle. We want to build infrastructure for the vendors who sell food so they can operate in a clean, safe and functional environment. We want to remove illegal foreign tenants who abuse the fact that there are many large, dilapidated buildings they take over and use for illegal business,” said Htlafa.
Ward 57 Clr Michael Crichton spoke about getting the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) involved in renewing Video Town.
@comaro.chronicle Ward 57 Clr Michael Crichton spoke about getting the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) involved in renewing Video Town.
“The JPC owns many of the property around here, especially the damaged and abandoned buildings. Getting them involved will allow us to demarcate spots to close up, re-build and secure areas for legitimate business to happen with the correct practices and equipment,” said Crichton.
