Opposition to Sol reopening street
DESPITE strong opposition from businesses and homeowners, the Sol Plaatje Municipality said yesterday that it would be reopening Murray Street, a road in Kimberley that has been closed off by a wall for more that 30 years.
Murray Street, situated opposite Kim-by-nite, between Paddy’s General Auto Repairs and Kimberly Hyper, has become the subject of a petition, with home and business owners calling for the prefab wall that blocks the entrance to the street from Phakamile Mabija Road to stay intact.
This comes after Sol Plaatje Municipality this week indicated that it would demolish the wall and reopen Murray Street to traffic.
However, the business owner of Paddy’s, Yoga Padayachee, who has extended his motor repair business into the unused Murray Street and fenced off half the street, reacted with outrage yesterday after the municipality informed him that the prefab wall would be taken down today.
“The wall has been there for more than 30 years – I don’t see why there is a problem now,” Padayachee said, adding that he had cordoned off an area, used as part of the business’ workshop, with palisade fencing, at his own expense.
A homeowner in Murray Street, Colette White, also objected strongly to the reopening of the road.
“I moved into the house 25 years ago and the wall was already there. We are concerned that once opened, the street will become a venue for street revellers, who are already seen taking over Phakamile Mabija Road with cooler boxes and blaring car sound systems over weekends. We are fearing for our safety as criminals will be able to gain easy access to our homes once the wall is demolished,” White said.
The manager of Kimberly Hyper, Ashruf Patel, also indicated yesterday that he was concerned about crime if the road was reopened.
“There is no problem with delivery vehicles gaining access to my business and I think the demolition of the wall will give criminals easier access to my business,” Patel said.
Sol Plaatje Municipality, however, reacted with outrage yesterday following complaints about the planned demolition of the wall and said that the street was a public road and was being used illegally.
“What is happening in Murray Street, with part of the road cordoned off and even being used as a workshop for servicing vehicles, is totally illegal. Effectively, the business owner is conducting a business on a public road. It is an act of lawlessness that we cannot condone. The wall will be coming down as soon as possible and the road will be opened to traffic again,” municipal spokesperson Sello Matsie said.
He added that if anyone wanted to lay claim to municipal land they should provide a title deed or follow the correct processes to acquire land.
A petition, calling for the wall to stay intact, had by yesterday already garnered more than 40 signatures from home and business owners in the area.