Controversial club forced to shutdown
Softball association is forging ahead to keep playing
POPULAR nightclub Ground X, operating at the Phillip Kahts softball stadium in Bunkers Hill, has officially shut its doors.
The closure of the club followed heated marathon meetings between residents, owner Luthando Bara, the Liquor Board, Buffalo City Metro officials and former Ward 18 councillor Isabel Thompson over alleged reckless behaviour from patrons leaving the club and high noise levels.
“I went back to the softball association and told them that it looked like the battle with the community was mine alone rather than the association. I didn’t have time to go to war all the time. I feel sorry for the softball association,” Bara said.
He said the popular club, which opened its doors in March, was the sole sponsor of the softball association operating at the stadium. Proceeds from the bar went to the association, he added.
Bara is a well-known benefactor for many sporting events, including the Legends Marathon and Berlin November.
“The club was opened with the sole purpose of uplifting children from previously disadvantaged backgrounds.”
The incident that sealed the fate of the club took place last month after a patron leaving the club at 5am allegedly drove into the wall of a Bunkers Hill home.
This sparked fresh outrage followed by another meeting leaving Bara with no choice but to close.
Bara said the club’s closure had a knock-on effect in terms of loss. He said about 30 people employed by the club had lost their jobs.
“That is the sad reality but I have managed to employ 10 of them at my other businesses.”
The opening of the nightclub took everyone in the suburb by surprise, including councillor Thompson who told the Dispatch she had never signed a liquor licence for the venue.
According to the Liquor Act, by law a licence has to be signed by a ward councillor after engagement with the ward committee.
Residents of Bunkers Hill said no meeting ever took place about the granting of a liquor licence for their area.
The licence, which granted the club authority to sell alcohol, was signed by Ward 47 councillor Siyabonga Jabavu instead of Thompson.
Jabavu is a director of the Eastern Cape Softball Association and is the councillor for Quigney.
Speaking in his capacity as president of the Buffalo Softball Association, Jabavu said the licence had been cancelled.
“The club shut down because the liquor licence has been cancelled and the club won’t get another licence under the new DA ward councillor.”
Jabavu said the association would struggle to pay municipal rates but had applied for municipal grants so they could use that money to pay rent and electricity for using the stadium.
Ward 18 councillor David Viaene confirmed the closure of the club.
“The nightclub has been closed down, but I am working with stakeholders at the softball club and residents in the area. I will be giving my full support to the softball club and helping them grow.
Bunkers Hill resident Linda Wagner said she had been working tirelessly raising funds for softball and things were looking good.
“I’ve been meeting with the softball federation, BCM officials, Ward 18 councillor and schools to try and get softball back on track.”