City to investigate container businesses
Deon le Roux, a resident of 39 years in the area, said the concerns are fuelled by a passion for his neighbourhood.
A CONCERNED resident in Montclair is calling for container and informal business owners in the area to register their businesses and operate within the city’s bylaws.
Deon le Roux, a resident of 39 years in the area, said the concerns are fuelled by passion for his neighbourhood. His sentiments are that the municipality created bylaws for a reason.
“If there were no bylaws, we would all be doing exactly what we want and as residents, it’s our job to adhere to them. You can compare Clairwood to Montclair. Years ago, Clairwood was Montclair and if you look at it today, it’s totally a mixed bag of businesses and at this stage, people are complaining about it, but it’s too late. It’s at a point of no return and now they can’t go back to fix the businesses and sort out the residents,” Deon said.
He said he has, on numerous occasions, contacted the relevant departments in the municipality, even the new mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda, but so far, nothing has come of it.
“My pleas have come to nothing. I don’t object to any person opening a business, because everybody is suffering, but they need to adhere to the bylaws, that’s why they are there. There are registered businesses in the area that are affected by somebody just opening a container on Montclair Road, as an example.
“The municipality is losing out on rates and taxes because of the disobedience of bylaws. The first step is that any business must apply for special consent from the municipality with permission from the neighbours,” he said.
A container business owner on Montclair Road, known to the SUN as Paul, said that he applied for his permit and was given a five working day wait period.
Spokesperson for eThekwini Municipality, Msawakhe Mayisela, said that the city allows for container business operations on council property provided they comply with the council approved container policy and they’ve obtained permission to conduct their business from the Business Support Unit. “In the case of Montclair, there are informal traders operating along the pavement that were granted authority 10 years ago to sell from gazebos only.
“We are not aware of containers placed on municipal property in that suburb due to an objection from the ward councillor. The city will, however, investigate and take corrective action against operating business containers,” Msawakhe said.
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