The by-laws will cover a range of aspects of how we drive on the township’s streets, keeping a dog or dogs in our yards, burying our dead, hosting ceremonial events and gatherings, playing music in our homes, parking our vehicles outside our yard or simply determining how many of us conduct illegal businesses in our backyards.
According to the City’s environmental department, about 99% of the City’s new and revamped by-laws have already been approved and are ready for implementation by a new team of officers.
Meanwhile, many of the City’s current by-laws are outdated and have been revamped and replaced.
Residents could also soon pay even more for municipal services such as burials, as the cost of graveyards could also be increased. The City views the implementation of the by-laws as a vital component of local governance to ensure municipal by-laws are adhered to and maintained to ensure the smooth running of the City and all its residential areas around Ekurhuleni.
Once the new by-laws are in place, residents and visitors will have to make sure they quickly familiarise themselves with them. The penalty for breaking such by-laws will be as penalties. With road traffic infringements, there will also be the points-demerit system for traffic violations.
Animal lovers will also have to expect strict measures as by-laws on keeping one or more dogs in your yard.
The plan by the City to introduce by-laws can soon bring about drastic changes in the way we live in our communities. Evidence of this played itself out last weekend when members of the EMPD refused a family to erect a tent that would have obstructed the road in a suburb.
This has become a common practice by people hosting events, such as a burial, a party or wedding, in the township where a section of the street is blockaded by erecting a tent in the middle of the street.
Also in the spotlight will be residents who place obstructions on the pavement and municipal servitudes to stop people from parking vehicles on a narrow street.
“Section 119 Sub-section 5 states: ‘obscuring the view of a road or traffic on such a road by any road user’ and Section 115 sub-section 8, states ‘attaching any object to a structure, pavement, tree, parking meter, lamp pole, electric pole, telephone booth, post box, traffic sign, bench or any other street furniture in or on a public road or public place’ is prohibited,” said Lerato Monyane of the EMPD.
She said a public road is utilised by the public, whether walking or driving, and certain rights must not be infringed.
Residents who find themselves faced with this predicament must contact the call centre on 011 9993425.
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Cops have promised to end the scourge of vehicle hijackings.
Such news has brought a sigh of relief to thousands of motorists who live in fear because of the alarming increase in vehicle hijackings.
Scores of motorists have received the news with jubilation and hope the police will act decisively to rid the country of this scourge that has seen motorists refrain from driving at night for fear of being hijacked.
