THE deliberate ignoring of town planning bylaws by businesses operating in ward 31 poses a danger to the community. So said local councillor, Chris Pappas, as he took a swipe at businesses along Brickfield Road who flouted bylaws and town planning regulations by failing to provide adequate parking.
“Shopping and retail outlets are not providing enough parking spaces for their patrons. This leads to people parking on the pavements which in turn forces pedestrians to walk on the road. School children and the elderly are among the people being forced to walk on the road to avoid cars parked on the pavement,” he said, adding that motorists who parked their vehicles in the road were causing severe traffic congestion and posed a danger to other motorists who had to swerve to avoid the traffic.
Other concerns raised by the councillor included the lack of proper loading facilities. He said small residential side roads were being used to load and unload goods. This he said resulted in residents having to drive into oncoming traffic in order to manoeuvre around the delivery trucks. “Berriedale Road, South Road and Lumi Road are among the worst affected,” he said.
“There are even cases where articulated trucks block RD Naidu Drive and Roslyn Road while they reverse into their places of delivery,” he said, and blamed city planners and building inspectors for failing to enforce planning regulations. “In the near future our ward will look like Isipingo – dirty, congested and crime ridden. We need city planning to take action against careless and exploitative businesses. We need responsible and controlled growth and development,” said Pappas.
Pappas said Metro Police could not be expected to fight with customers because businesses failed to comply with bylaws. “If our big malls have had to comply, others must as well,” he said.
