Fleurhof residents up in arms

An alleged illegal business on the corners of Boabab Street and Dove Lane in Fleurhof has residents hot under the collar.

The Roodepoort Record received numerous complaints regarding the business, a car wash that according to residents, doubles as an illegal tavern, over the past year.

The Record has, since June, repeatedly approached JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla, posing questions and requesting feedback about the establishment but were largely ignored.

Things came to a head on September 7 when a patron of the business lost control of his vehicle and crashed through the boundary wall of a residence.

“We have been struggling with this business for around two years,” said a highly irate Julia Koole. “On this day, it was once again unbearable. The whole street was full of cars and music was blaring from the tavern. It has become so bad that we barely venture out of our houses over weekends.

“I had just finished a load of washing and was heading out to hang it up when I heard a huge crash. I rushed outside to find a car had crashed through my wall and into my yard, right where I would have been in just a few seconds.”

Koole says residents do not have a problem with the car wash being operated on their street.
“Our problem is that since this business has been here, our street is overrun with drunkards.

“In addition to the late-night music, the drunken patrons shout and scream right outside our houses. They even urinate outside my gate.

“In addition, the open area right around the corner is now being used as an illegal recycling spot where the tavern dumps their empty bottles.”

The Record approached the owner of the business, Joseph Motaung, who vehemently denied running a tavern. He admitted that police had raided him and confiscated his alcohol barely a week prior.

Motaung initially said that he has a license to run the car wash, adding once again that he does not sell alcohol.

“People bring their cars to wash. They bring their own alcohol,” he said.

He then backtracked, saying that he had applied for a license to run the car wash, and is awaiting approval.

Asked where the water and electricity for his business, located in a marquee tent on the sidewalk, comes from, he says he laid pipes and cables from his house around the corner to the car wash. Motaung promised to send the Record proof of his license applications, only to backtrack the next day.

The Record once again reached out to Fihla and was informed that the JMPD regional office has taken note of the concerns and will investigate the matter.

“However, the Liquor Board will need to be involved in this process. We must adhere to legal processes to ensure the establishment is closed if it fails to comply.”

Questioned on allegations that residents struggle to get hold of the JMPD and that JMPD often simply does not show up, Fihla said ‘currently, the City of Johannesburg and JMPD numbers are operational’.

You can contact JMPD on 011 375 5911, 011 357 5918 or 011 758 9624.