Businessman surprised by fine

A local businessman was served a fine on Tuesday morning (10 November) but was allegedly not given a reason why. Mothusi ‘Bobby’ Michael Makgoane, the owner of Photo Lingo, was instructed to remove his photo booth from outside the premises of the traffic department within 24 hours.

Makgoane believes this was because he had begun to pave the portion where his container was standing, allowing access to the elderly and sick in poor weather conditions.

Makgoane says he has been rendering his services within the traffic department’s premises since 2010 and has experienced several challenges. One of them was the alleged burglaries that he reported to the various officials at the traffic department.

Recently, due to Covid-19, he had noticed that his clientele was relatively low after a certain time as the department used to close earlier during the stricter levels of the national lockdown. So, during October, he decided to move outside the premises to ensure visibility and continue rendering his services.

Makgoane says the director of Public Safety, Ofentse Masibi, stopped by the photo booth on Monday, 9 November when he saw men busy on the ground. The director allegedly asked Sam Madibu, the owner of the company responsible for the paving, what they were doing. Madibu then advised Masibi to speak to Makgoane.

The men allegedly stepped aside and had a discussion. Makgoane was reportedly told that the matter would be taken to the administrator. The following morning, the director allegedly took pictures of the paving project. Shortly afterward, a traffic official approached Makgoane and served him with the fine.

When he asked why he had to move, the officer said she didn’t know why. Her superiors ordered her to issue the fine without giving a reason.

Lebogang Majola, the owner of a driving school, says the matter saddens him as he believes Makgoane is a positive role model to the broader community and other entrepreneurs as a part of the SMMEs.

Majola believes the paving initiative was a good idea as people, especially the elderly or persons with disabilities, won’t have to walk through mud or trip over stones when seeking Makgoane’s services.

If there are issues between Makgoane’s business and the departments, he believes there is a formal and alternative way of handling it.

Numerous people on Facebook applauded Makgoane on his paving initiative.

According to Maphosa, the director has noted the complaint. “The directorate indicates that, to date, it is not aware of any approval granted to the complainant to operate a photo booth inside the testing station precinct. Numerous people had previously approached the directorate to operate similar and other business within the precinct,” says Maphosa.

Regarding the conversation the traffic officer and Makgoane had, Maphosa says the directorate is not privy to it.

He says one needs to get approval from the local economic development to operate any business within council facilities, in compliance with the applicable council tariffs.

“It is confirmed that the directorate approached the operator to seek clarity on various issues, including the construction taking place adjacent to the gate of the centre. The municipality must approve any construction taking place within the municipal townlands.”

Maphosa says the directorate referred the complainant to the police to open a case when informed about the burglary at the photo booth.