The trial for the five workmen arrested for malicious damage to City-owned property last year was postponed to next month, following delays at the Roodepoort Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 18 February.
The Public Prosecutor presiding on the matter detailed the reasons for the matter to be postponed to another date. The first reason was the Legal Aid Defence attorney was writing exams; secondly, the investigating officer had not subpoenaed the witnesses and lastly, the court had not arranged for a Xitsonga interpreter for accused number five – the foreign national who has been in custody since October last year. During the previous appearance he opted to abandon his bail application.
Read the initial article here:
https://roodepoortnorthsider.co.za/313202/workmen-arrested-for-putting-up-illegal-structures-appear-in-court/
The Magistrate was left with no choice but to postpone the matter to 13 March on condition that it could be rolled over to the next available dates as the trial is expected to drag on for more than one day.
The Magistrate also warned the four suspects on bail and the witnesses to be in court by 8.30am on the trial date.
The workmen were arrested for affixing two heavy steel structures to the Golf Club Terrace bridge in Constantia Kloof in October 2019.
The Johannesburg Roads Agency estimated what it would cost to repair the damage to the bridge. “We need to hire a crane and trucks to take down the frames. This will require extensive traffic accommodation due to the nature of the road. Once the boards have been removed we will be in a position to determine any structural damage or compromise caused by the illegal mounting of these boards. We estimate that it will cost the JRA approximately R275 000 to remove and dispose of the frames. The cost of repairing the damage to the structure can only be determined later,” JRA managing director Siya Genu explained.
Ward 97 councillor Leah Knott also warned against illegally putting up signage, following a recent incident in her ward on Hendrik Potgieter Road near Christiaan de Wet Road. JMPD impounded equipment belonging to the company allegedly at fault.
“Please stop cluttering our roads and endangering residents with illegal structures that have not been approved. All signage needs to be approved by Outdoor Advertising at the Development Planning Department, and require an expert engineer’s input to pass safety standards,” she said.
