Residents complain of noise, urine
TRACES of urine can be seen on the road as one walks down Batswana Street in Boipatong in the Vaal on a Sunday afternoon.
As it gets darker, dozens of cars pile up on the side of the road while others block residents’ driveways. At this point, urine is now flowing down the street. Patrons, some of whom arrived in taxis, are seen urinating on electricity meter boxes and on people’s perimeter walls.
The music at Leroux’s Place is playing so loudly it makes the immediate neighbour’s house vibrate. Leroux’s Place is a shebeen situated between two other drinking holes – Benny’s Place and Papati’s Place. One of the neighbours who lives two houses away said he was frustrated.
“We can’t sleep, the noise is unbearable. We are forced to play the TV at high volume. We have children and elderly people who are sick and the noise is intolerable. They urinate all over the place and break bottles in the street. We can’t take it anymore. We call police who come here all the time but nothing changes,” he said.
Municipal bylaws on Shebeens stipulates that no activities which may cause a nuisance or disturbance to the residents in other neighbouring residences were permitted
Trading must be restricted to the boundaries of the property and within the street building lines.
A neighbour who lives opposite the shebeen said her sick sister was forced to move to a relative’s house because she could not stand the noise. “My mother calls police every weekend but nothing happens. My sister asked my mother to move her because she could not sleep. The house vibrates like this every weekend. It is impossible to study. The smell of urine in the morning is so terrible we are forced to clean the road with disinfecting liquid,” she said.
Another neighbour said they had pleaded with the owner, Sello Komane, to turn down the music volume but it did not help. “We tried to talk to him but he insults us. The other two taverns play their music low but Leroux’s Place is a nightmare. We made a petition to the municipality but it did not help.”
Sowetan is in possession of a petition that was stamped by the municipality on December 4 last year. Komane said the complaints were a personal attack on him.
“This is a family business, I took over after my uncle died. No one complained when he ran this place. They only complain about my place but there are three drinking places on this street. How do they know that people who urinate are my customers? I use disinfecting liquid to clean the road regularly. My family survives on this business ... I am unemployed and I look after eight people.”
Police spokeswoman Sergeant Thembeka Koago said they would investigate the complaints. “We encourage residents to write down the number plates of police cars they are not happy with and report them to the police station.”
Emfuleni spokesman Stanley Gaba said: “The municipality will be conducting an inspection in loco with relevant departments. Firstly, to ascertain the suitability of such businesses in the area; secondly, to engage the Liquor Board with regards to the issue of liquor licences. A full comprehensive statement will then follow,” he said.