Bylaw disregards has residents irate
Bedfordview residents living along Allen Road said they demand the powers that be take action against a local guesthouse they accused of not complying with municipal bylaws.
One of the residents, Mr Ivor Mathee, told the NEWS the guesthouse had broken all the rules from the day it opened it’s doors.
“Since 2010, we have been fighting to have them obey the bylaws and five years later, we are still fighting the same battle,” he said.
Another resident, who did not want to be named, said the establishment hosts late night parties and plays loud music until the early hours of the morning.
“Their lapa is on the side closest to my house and when the music plays, it’s as if the party is right inside my house. It is upsetting and we just cannot continue to live like this,” said the resident.
Mr Mathee said when he could not get any joy from the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM), he used his own money to consult independent town planners who advised on the matter.
“The property is zoned as residential and as such, it cannot be used for business purposes. The extensions they have made to the building are also illegal. Bylaws don’t allow one to build on over 40 percent of the stand, which they already have,” he said.
Echoing the same sentiments was another neighbour who lives across the street from the guesthouse. She said the fact that the establishment has limited parking inside the property was a problem for the neighbours.
“When they have their parties, their ‘guests’ park on the road. Not only is this an inconvenience for those trying to pull in or out of their driveways, it also makes it difficult to spot would-be criminals,” said the resident.
Mr Mathee said the matter had also been heard at the Development Tribunal hearing.
“The owners promised to amend the mistakes and address residents’ concerns, yet no change had been made since which is frustrating,” said Mr Mathee.
He said the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) had raided the place on March 14, 2014, but they have not been back despite calls to do so.
The ward 20 councillor, Clr Jill Humphreys, said the residents had put up with the guesthouse’s disregard of bylaws for too long.
She met with the concerned residents last Monday to listen to their concerns regarding the guesthouse.
While gathering outside the gate, a staff member told the group that his employers had done nothing wrong and accused the residents of being racist towards the business.
The man, who was cleaning outside the property at the time, continued to intimidate the group by making several phone calls as well as take pictures with his cellular phone.
Questions from the newspaper were also not entertained by the man.
In an attempt to get comment from the establishment, the NEWS also called the number provided on the internet and it was engaged, even at the time of going to press.
A media enquiry was also sent to the EMM’s communications department on August 18.
On September 2, an official within the department said she was yet to receive the necessary response from the relevant department.
The NEWS is in possession of an email sent to Clr Humphreys from an EMM official, working on August 28, after our enquiry was sent to the EMM.
“Please take note that there has been movement in this matter, as we have gathered more recent information from Building Inspectorate and City Planning was also helpful. We are to approach the court with the most recent developments at the property in order to achieve that which we wish to achieve.”
