NEWS that Durban’s popular I Heart Market was moving from its current venue on the Imbizo Lawns of the Moses Mabhida Stadium took many by surprise this morning.
In a Facebook post this morning I Heart Market organisers said, “In the process of negotiating a new lease, the rental went up from R6508 to R 48 300 with 12 days notice. There is no way possible that we are able to cover this additional rental and so we have moved.”
In response, the eThekwini Municipality’s spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said: “The stadium is a department of eThekwini Municipality, and as such all municipal tariffs are promulgated. They are reviewed on an annual basis and implemented at the beginning of the municipality’s financial year on 1 July.”
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Mayisela said the tariffs applicable to the Imbizo Lawns where the I Heart Market was situated was reserved to two categories (NPO/commercial). He said a valid NPO registration certificate is required to secure the reduced rates for NPOs.
“I Heart Market could not provide this, nor did they indicate they would be prepared to register as an NPO and thus the commercial rates apply. At any point in the future should they wish to register their currently private business – I Heart Market (Pty) Ltd – as an NPO, these special rates would be afforded to them.”
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