Crime, illegal land use, sex for sale, dope and drink have reportedly been contributing to the detriment and downfall of enterprises in a portion of Polokwane’s central business district (CBD) over a period of time. With the situation seemingly having spiralled out of proportion the past two years, a group of aggrieved business owners petitioned Polokwane Municipality little over two months ago to have legal action taken against those contravening the laws of the land, apparently to no avail.
From examples raised by numerous sources it was learnt that the area between Bok and Church Streets and Thabo Mbeki Drive and Marshall Street has become increasingly threatening – and in instances almost inaccessible – to outsiders, residents, business owners and their employees due to social ills that bring about dangers associated with contact crimes, scenes of sexual innuendo, drug deals and illegal trading. Add to that decaying municipal infrastructure in need of dire attention.
A ride down the stretch of Bok Street between Thabo Mbeki Drive and Marshall Street serves as ample indication of what the complaints that were brought to Polokwane Observer’s attention entail. It doesn’t take a trained eye to identify the tell-tale signs of obvious loitering by scores of women in skimpy attire perched wide-legged on chairs on verandahs or beside dilapidated infrastructure who flag down passers-by, trash dumps forming on side walks and questionable informal trade on the doorstep of formal business operations.
At deadline time it was learnt that long before dawn yesterday morning (Wednesday) queues of vehicles lining up outside suspected brothels had jammed the particular section of Bok Street, making it difficult for passing motorists to get to their destination. Later on in the morning young women in shorts, gowns and wigs were witnessed positioned at fences, on a sidewalk or crouched around a fire in a yard where mattresses are scattered in a dilapidated garage while life goes on around them.
Illegal land use appears to be the major reason for growing discontent on the side of concerned businesspeople and residents within the greater area and the instigator of much of the perceived evil, Polokwane Observer was informed. According to information it has given rise to structures being allegedly illegally occupied, in the main by South Africans from out of town as well as immigrants – who apparently make up 70% of the population of the area – allegedly engaging in sex work offered along the streets. This was pointed out by affected business owners as well as Democratic Alliance (DA) Ward 22 Councillor Mariëtte Pretorius, who serves on Polokwane Council’s Spatial Planning Committee and who steered prior clean-up campaigns in Ward 22.
Pretorius informed Polokwane Observer that she had made several attempts to have the social ills plaguing the area addressed over a period of time, but that the status quo in actual fact took a turn for the worst the past two years. Beyond the issues of illegal land occupation and water connections at identified structures as well as questionable trade in a recreational facility behind an accommodation establishment, she mentioned the scourge sparked by criminal activity, intercourse in open-air party dens, brothel operations, public indecency and drinking, drug-related transactions and noise pollution as added concerns.
Pretorius raised the issue of sex work still being performed at random in full view and in broad daylight further away around the smallholdings in Ivy Dale off the N1 highway. When taking any of the turn-offs into the area the outsider enters into a seedy world where one will find a suspected seller hiding among shrubs on a vacant piece of land only clothed in what seems to be a t-shirt early afternoon. Cars slowly trailing the dust roads as men are allegedly in search of sex acts at a minimal fee on a mattress under a tree or behind cardboard boxes as pimps keep a watchful eye, remain the norm. Young women openly alternate between vehicles and it doesn’t take longer than a minute for two of them to slip onto the seats of a silver Mercedes-Benz with GP registration number and drive off.
Pretorius expressed discontent with Polokwane Municipality seemingly turning a blind eye to a crisis that is building up down town and not having the capacity to curb illegal land use. By referring to the situation as “an absolute nightmare”, she lamented the fact that business owners couldn’t trade under such circumstances. She stressed the take-over of business properties that were seen to have been illegally occupied by foreigners to whom the structures were being sub-let. She emphasised that the by-laws of the city stipulated that notices had to be issued to property owners contravening legislation and that any perceived operations on such premises had to be stopped while a re-zoning application might be ongoing. If found in contravention the guilty party had to be fined, she added.
Pretorius said she had handed the petition to the mayor’s office at Polokwane Municipality on behalf of the CBD Renewal Group on 3 May this year, but to date no response was forthcoming on the matter.
At deadline time a CBD Renewal Group spokesperson confirmed that they had not yet received any official feedback from Polokwane Municipality in this regard.
The petition focuses on discontent about trouble stirring in the area bordering Bok, Paul Kruger and Church streets reaching from Thabo Mbeki to Marshall Streets, which are some of the first or last points of contact for visitors or residents entering or exiting Limpopo’s capital. The petition prioritises the hotspots as illegal structures, brothels, spaza shops as well as criminal and public drinking dens along Bok, Paul Kruger, Rabé and Marshall Streets. In the petition the exact locations of the suspect venues are identified, but are being withheld for purposes of publication.
The concerned group petitioned Polokwane Municipality to take legal action against the owners of the properties who are considered to be contravening the regulations pertaining to Polokwane’s town planning scheme, by-laws and the National Building Regulations and gave the institution two weeks to attend to the document to avoid a declaratory order application being instituted along with a punitive costs order.
A business owner in the area, whom Polokwane Observer interviewed on condition of anonymity, predicted that if left unattended any longer the scenario would get out of hand and have even more dramatic consequences. He emphasised a picture that has impacted on existing concerns and the businessman was adamant that it has thus far had a drastic and adverse effect on trade and tourism figures as it negatively affected the image of the city.
Another professional, whose business has been located adjacent for the past three years, said they were operating under strenuous conditions due to dodgy characters moving in next door approximately a year ago, compromising safety and reflecting poorly on clients visiting their premises.
“It looks like a ticking time-bomb,” he remarked when describing the current conditions. He regarded the occasional presence of the Police in the area as a temporary solution to the problem. He stressed the need for business and property owners having to put up a united front with the local municipality and the Police, adding that through an orchestrated campaign they could see progress.
Polokwane municipal spokesperson Matshidiso Mothapo responded saying after the letter was received by the Executive Mayor it was escalated to the Municipal Manager, who then arranged an urgent meeting with the representatives of the concerned group and Director for Planning and Land Use to action and pursue the issues raised in the petition.
“The team from various departments has dealt with the issues of contravention. However, it must be noted as expressed to the group that most of the issues raised on illegal land use require a legal process like issuing of a series of notices and subsequent appointment of attorneys which normally takes some time and (the) delays. Some of the issues like prostitutes are beyond the jurisdiction of the municipality and referred to the security cluster for a collaborative effort. The issues raised are being actioned and the representatives of the concerned group are invited to continue using the same platform (that) was offered to them to raise any of their concerns there.”
Story and photos: YOLANDE NEL
>>observer.yolande@gmail.com
