The City Council found the controversial wall next to Oxford Street, in Ferndale, to be too close to the road and it has issued an order to the owner, to demolish it.
The wall was constructed by the primary tenant of French Court entertainment complex and concerns were raised by Ward 104 Committee Member Erwin Schwentzek and Ward 104 Councillor Mike Wood in January that the wall, was merely one metre from the road and it endangered pedestrians who overtook each other on the pavement.
The owner, who does not wish to be named, said the wall is on his property and he is within his right to build it where it is.
He produced building plans for a Randburg Sun journalist showing the wall is within his border.
Nevertheless the council has asked him to demolish it.
“The inspector has issued a stop order against the building of a wall on corner Oxford and Eton, Ferndale,” said City Council spokesperson Thembelihle Radebe.
“The City Legal Department has instructed the owner to demolish the wall. Follow up inspection will be conducted to ensure compliance.”
Details: Ward 104 Councillor Mike Wood 082 853 2174, City of Joburg 086 056 2874.
Common sense has prevailed. Perhaps another example of lawlessness is that of Rhema Church. Twice in the last week, there has been an evening event there. Two people stood in the intersection in front of the church, directing the traffic. They are not traffic officials, they ignore the pattern of the traffic lights and they favour visitors to Rhema to such an extent that I saw one of them making everyone else wait because she had spotted a lone car in the distance that might be heading for Rhema. Meanwhile, thousands of weary workers, returning home via Randburg, formed a very slow tailback for kilometres.
When the light was green, the person directing the traffic had her hand up, instructing drivers not to go, then eventually, when the light was red, a flap of the arm – all this in the dark – indicated that the weary workers should go. Not only was this dangerous, it was also chaotic and unbelievably arrogant of Rhema, not to mention illegal. They do not own the intersection in Hans Schoeman St and they have no right to impose on people like that, trebling the travel time for those last few kilometres.
As it is, the timing of the lights is wrong, allowing the minority a disproportionate amount of time. Often, there will be dozens of cars stationary on Hans Schoeman while there is not a single car crossing the intersection. In the evening, that’s routinely hundreds of cars.
What are Rhema and the Metro Police going to do about this? What would Jesus have done?
Thank you for the comment K Sham.
Please will you email your contact details to me at nicholasz@caxton.co.za so I can contact you and follow up.