Illegal scrapyard irks local residents
AN ILLEGAL scrapyard in Sea Cow Lake has residents worried about their health and safety.
The business on 224 Centre Road, where car repairs and panel beating are being done, is believed to be potentially hazardous. The site has old, rusted cars parked on verges.
According to residents, the scrapyard has been open for more than three years and they have asked the city to intervene, without success.now they are completely frustrated.
Navin Gianchand, who lives beside the operation, has been campaigning for the scrapyard’s closure since 2015, but his complaints to the municipality have been disregarded, he says.
Gianchand said there were plenty of acceptable developments in the area, but this “filthy and illegal business” had devalued properties.
Cars parked on pavements had caused the narrowing of Centre Road.
Gianchand said the scrapyard had also become home to rats and snakes that entered properties in the neighbourhood.
He said the business, owned by Evin Naidoo, had affected the entire neighbourhood.
“We are at risk of contracting chest infections because of fumes and smells emitted there,” Gianchand said.
Another concerned resident, Fahim Abdullah, said: “Pavements become absolutely filthy because they are used to sort scrap at all hours of the day.
“Surely, there is no way that a business could be run from here, since this is a residential area?”
DA ward councillor Dr Bobby Maharajh accused the business owner (Naidoo) of blatantly contravening city by-laws.
He appealed to residents to be patient and said that their complaints were receiving the necessary attention.
“It’s an old issue that was raised before I became the ward councillor. I have liaised with the city’s land use management department about this issue.
“I am doing everything in my power to address the matter and I understand residents’ frustrations.
“This situation is unacceptable,” he said.
The owner (Naidoo) confirmed he had operated in the area for two years without a permit from the city, and had since been given an eviction notice.
Naidoo said residents had never complained about the scrapyard before.
“By the end of the month, all the scrap will be removed. City officials have issued me with a one-month notice for using the property for business purposes without their consent.”
ethekwini Municipality spokesperson Tozi Mthethwa said the matter had been referred to the relevant unit for investigation.
The outcome of the investigation would determine the action to be taken.