Council deals taverner a blow
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PLANS to relocate a popular pub in Katlehong on the east Rand to a bigger and better place have been dealt a severe blow by the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.
Hurricane Chisanyama owner Letlotlo Mokhosi was stopped in his tracks by the council after he allegedly grabbed a piece of land in the township without following proper procedures.
The municipality had now obtained a court order to demolish a gigantic brick wall he erected on the government owned land.
Mokhosi, whose waterhole in Katlehong had become a thoroughfare of celebrities, blessers and black diamonds on Sundays, wanted to move his business from his home on Nota Street to the vacant piece of land.
After receiving complaints from residents, municipal officials mounted a board on the wall emblazoned with the words This property is owned by the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality and trespassers will be prosecuted”.
The council also obtained a court order to demolish the wall, which might have cost Mokhosi thousands of rand to construct.
Municipal spokesperson Themba Gadebe confirmed they have obtained the order to demolish the wall because the pub owner unlawfully occupied it.
Kindly be advised that the piece of land referred to has not been sold or leased by council. Hurricane was never granted permission to fence off the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality property.
The council received complaints informally from the public about the fact that the land was sold to Hurricane whilst they were advised the property is zoned residential.
If it was to be sold, it would be by public tender.
The council then took legal action against the illegal occupation of the land,” said Gadebe.
He said the demolition was put on hold after Mokhosi swiftly submitted an application to lease the land from them.
The land was fenced off illegally without council approval. An application was only submitted after the court order to demolish the fence, to lease the said land. The demolition has been put on hold pending the application to lease the land.
Should the application not succeed the council will execute the court order,” he said.
Gadebe said the council would not privately sell the land to Mokhosi should his lease application become unsuccessful.
Should the council resolve to sell or lease the land, it will be an open bidding process for all members of the public,” he said.
Gadebe dismissed as untrue that the land has been earmarked for the construction of a church building or taxi rank.
The land has not been valued and the EMM is not aware of the fact that the land has been earmarked for a taxi rank.
Mokhosi, a philanthropist who donated school uniforms and bought groceries for poor families in the township, declined to comment on the matter.