Relief as BCM shuts scrapyard in Braelyn
Investigation reveals site flouts several municipal bylaws
A messy scrapyard blamed for being such an eyesore that neighbouring business were losing customers has been closed down by Buffalo City Metro.
Cyber Scrap Metals, in Magnolia Street in Braelyn, attracted numerous complaints from surrounding business owners last month.
BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said an on-site investigation was conducted last week, with multiple municipal departments present including health, disaster management, law enforcement, traffic and fire.
The SAPS were also present. Ngwenya said the inspection revealed that the site was a fire hazard and violated “a number of other municipal by-laws”.
The main concern was the fire hazard, which resulted in the fire department issuing the business owner with a compliance notice.
“The scrapyard is closed for an indefinite period until the business can comply with the relevant regulations.
“BCM will continue to conduct regular inspections to ensure the business is closed and not operating illegally,” Ngwenya said.
When the Dispatch phoned the property, a woman who would only identify herself as “Mrs Folds”, claimed that she “didn’t know anything” about the scrapyard having been closed down, and refused to comment further.
Director of RRN Removals, Desi Naidoo, said he was satisfied with BCM’s intervention and that his business could now finally start to trade properly again.
He said the first impact of the closure was that there was no longer a steady stream of individuals entering the cul-delsac to drop off their scrap.
Naidoo had accused the scrap merchant of storing piles of junk on the public pavement.
He said this created a slumlike atmosphere, which was preventing his trucks from moving freely, and costing his business money.
Naidoo complained that over a matter of months, the trash had started encroaching on the frontage of surrounding businesses.
He said nuts and bolts, allegedly left in the road by the scrapyard, had caused eight punctures to his trucks, with each puncture costing him about R6,000.
He also complained that people bringing scrap into the area were often “volatile” and became aggressive when confronted.
There was still scrap on the pavements, which was being moved at a slow but steady pace, Naidoo said.
BCM said last month that the business owner, identified as Nel Steel, had been fined three times since May, to the amount of R3,800, and that law en- forcement would continue to monitor the situation.
When the Dispatch was onsite last week, there were multiple trucks in the tightly packed street, loading up a stream of scrap from the now closed business.