Stables tenants look to courts for help

TENANTS at the Newmarket Stables and Stables Lifestyle Market are preparing to seek legal action to fight the eviction notice handed to them by the city. This was made clear after they met with City Manager Sibusiso Sithole on Monday.

Speaking to Berea Mail following the meeting with Sithole, ward councillor, Martin Meyer said he had politically exhausted all his options on the issue and the matter would now have to be dealt with by the courts.

” I asked for at least another two months so we can continue to renegotiate, however tenants will have to take legal action against the municipality,” he said.

Supporters of the Newmarket Stables and Stables Lifestyle Market, who attended the council meeting in Tongaat last Thursday, walked out of the meeting after the city refused to listen to their pleas for answers concerning the eviction of tenants.

Supporters arrived at the Tongaat Hall wearing shirts calling for support for the stables, and according to ward councillor, Martin Meyer, the speaker, Logie Naidoo, tried to force the supporters to remove their shirts.

“When we called him out on that, he backtracked on it and refused to hear an urgent motion to halt the evictions, saying that it was not urgent and that not enough had been done to engage with the city. First of all this is not true, and secondly, at the council meeting of October 2014 the Speaker was told by the council to engage with the tenants, something he has not. The responsibility is his! The supporters then walked out. Council’s behaviour just shows that the city still refuses to listen to the people or engage with them,” he said.

Meyer said he had planned a list of questions to be put to Naidoo at the council meeting, however Naidoo made a last minute decision not to allow the motion on the eviction of the Stables to be tabled based on a minor technical point.

“The Democratic Alliance is disappointed by the city of eThekwini’s failure to engage with affected parties from the Newmarket precinct, as well as Naidoo’s refusal to allow an urgent motion calling for the retraction of eviction notices on the Stables Lifestyle Market and Newmarket Stables. This eviction will lead to the loss of hundreds of jobs at the end of August,” he said.

“Let us hope that the leadership of the city will grab the opportunity to speak at the public meeting which will be held on 11 August, to show that they are committed to building a caring and livable city,” said Meyer.

A stall holder at the Stables Lifestyle Market said he felt the Market management could be doing more on behalf of the tenants.

“A recent letter was sent out to all traders saying management would fight the eviction, but we are seeing shadow boxing not fighting. Management says it had discussions with Hoy Park and the City but they refuse to produce the minutes of those meetings so we have no idea of the deal that was made. The management claimed they hired two or three lawyers, yet have not identified who those lawyers are” he said.

Berea Mail attempted to contact the management at the Stables Lifestyle Market but no response had been received at the time of writing this report.

In response to queries regarding the future of the stables, Tozi Mthethwa, head of communications for eThekwini municipality, said: “Engagements were held by the City with Hoy Park Management for Hoy Park Management to facilitate discussions with current occupants regarding possible relocation/remaining on the existing site with the intention of partnering with the academy. Discussions were held with Savages Athletic Club, who successfully relocated to Morningside. Successful discussions also took place with Berea Rovers and KZN Cycling.”

She said the same approach was used with Newmarket Stables. Hoy Park management had engaged with various individuals and options were discussed.

“The finalisation of the lease is still in progress with Hoy Park management and the terms and conditions will be advertised in the press for any objections. Should any of the occupants given eviction notices refuse to vacate, the normal eviction process will apply. The Newmarket Stables site is part of a broader plan of the Sports Academy, including the construction of facilities to develop sports in the City,” she said.