Police raid Millionaires Restaurant in Polokwane

POLOKWANE – Millionaires Restaurant at the Polokwane International Airport was raided by the police and officials from the department of transport, safety and liaison on Saturday.

According to a report by the SABC, it is alleged that the owner, Ipfi Maumela is operating the establishment without a liquor licence and has also employed illegal immigrants without work permits.

The building from which the restaurant has been operating for the past five years belongs to government.

Two years ago, airport security raised concerns that a night club and restaurant operated on the premises of a strategic national key point.

There were also concerns that there was an emergency exit which led straight onto the runway which might pose danger.

In addition to this, allegations of the owner not paying rent also surfaced.

During the raid, the police and department officials wanted documents to establish who, from the department, gave the owner permission to run a liquor-serving restaurant and a night club at the airport.

The raid was carried out before the afternoon staff could start working.

Home affairs and SAPS officials found two illegal Zimbabwean nationals working.

Transport, safety and liason spokesperson, Kagiso Mootane, said although the owner was not there, the liquor licence was not displayed as required by the law.

“Our investigators came here and found that there are illegal foreigners who are working here without legal documents, and also as the department we still going escalate with our investigations to check who authorised IPfi to operate here, what was the agreement we go inside with SAPS liquor is all over  there they are selling liquor but there is no certificate to sell liquor in the restaurant there is no certificate for her to run that business, for now we have closed the  business until the owner come with legal documents.”

One of the Zimbabwean nationals arrested, who wants to remain anonymous, agreed that she does not have a work permit and she has over-stayed her visit in the country.

“I started working here this year in March until now and I have my passport but I over stayed I started as a waiter, we host birthday parties here.”

Maumela, has denied allegations that she is operating without a liquor licence.

Maumela said the department and the CEO of the airport, Thulani Zulu had copies of her liquor licence and approvals for her to rent the place.

However, she agreed with them not to pay the entire rent as they were not offering her other services such as water, kitchen and toilets and she had to do it from her own pocket.

“Those allegations are actually not true at all, because in front of you, I’ve just given you a copy of a confirmation later from GAAL  signed by the same CEO, Thulani Zulu, the main man that is behind this personal agenda, congratulating them for giving me the premises and also congratulating me on the new business adventure. It is funny because the same CEO and even the previous acting CEO have copies of the liquor licence in their offices and if they are saying it is the police who are investigating, why don’t they go to the liquor board and find out if this place really has a liquor licence or not.”

Maumela is optimistic that her business will open soon because there is nothing wrong that she has done.

SABC