CHICCO IN HOLY WAR

Bible punchers enraged by muso's spanking new 'pup'

VETERAN musician and businessman Sello Chicco Twala is embroiled in an unholy dispute with a Soweto church and residents over the renovation of his fast food outlet Pitsa Ya Lapeng in Diepkloof, Soweto.

The pozzie, in one of the busiest main streets in the township, has been selling traditional cuisine and alcohol in small quantities over the past nine years.

Residents feared that once opened, the restaurant, which is situated on the bustling Marthinus Smuts Drive in Zone 4, will sell booze in large quantities and that trading hours will increase, wreaking havoc in the area.

They also worry that the restaurant will cause traffic congestion, depreciate the value of their houses and possibly turn the Evangelic Lutheran Church’s Modiša Yo Botse Diepkloof parishioners into drunkards as it is located across the street from it.

However, Twala poured cold water on the concerns saying he was merely renovating his old premises.

“I have been running a restaurant there for the past nine years, selling food and liquor. The only difference is that we are renovating now.”

Twala said he was not building a pub but a restaurant, which also sells liquor.

“I am too old to be running a disco or something like that. I don’t know which neighbours you are talking about. We have been there for the past nine years and I don’t understand why now because we are renovating,” he said.

Twala maintains that he did not have to consult with neighbours or the church to get his liquor licence as he has been operating for years.

He said everything was above board and he had not broken the law. “Nothing is illegal and we have not received any complaints so far.”

But the Gauteng Liquor Board said they had no records of a licence granted for his premises.

The City of Joburg sang a similar tune when asked whether or not Twala had followed due process when changing the physical structure of the eatery.

Spokesman Nthatisi Modingoane said they were not contacted to inspect the area before renovations could commence. Modingoane said an inspector has since been dispatched to evaluate the place.

Neighbours, who spoke to Sunday World on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, claimed Twala was converting the fast food outlet into a pub.

“We were never even consulted about this huge structure which he is building. The construction guys who work there say he is building a tavern.

“It is going to bring us a lot of sleepless nights and busy weekends. There is nowhere to park here, which means drunkards coming here will park in front of our gates and pee here and leave bottles of beer all over the place,” said one neighbour.

Another resident said the restaurant, which is situated opposite a taxi rank and the church, would lead to high traffic volumes.

“The area is busy as it is. How are we going to drive past there? My children are in school. How are they supposed to study with that place banging sounds the whole night?

“I am concerned also because there is a church there already. How can he build a pub right opposite a church? That is very disrespectful to the church,” she said.

The church’s dean Mphehli Mankga said Twala disregarded their church which had been there for years before he opened his business.

“All we hear is that a pub is being built there. I don’t know how they got their liquor licence because as per liquor licence rules when you build a pub or a tavern next to a church, you have to get written permission from the church if the church was there first.

“Chicco is always here to check on the construction process but he has never said anything to me. So I am really not sure how he got his liquor licence.

“It’s usually very busy when we have our Sunday services. A pub would mean more noise. I don’t even know their operating hours, which means they might at times clash with our services,” said the dean.

Residents said they have held numerous meetings as community members to discuss the matter.