Local residents have once more appealed to the Tshwane Council and the local Ward Councillor to enforce by-laws in Ward 61, so as to stop the Laudium area from turning into a slum.
Residents say that the Council is turning a deliberate blind eye on the growing number of illegal activities going on in the area, compared to the formerly ‘white’ areas where more Council resources are diverted and that in the rare event the Council does act, it is only for a day or two and more as a publicity stunt with politicians also accompanied by Council officials. Homes being turned illegally into businesses, shacks being erected illegally at backyards without proper ablution facilities, homes being extended without approved Council plans, nyaopes illegally living in various public spaces and street corners being used as rubbish dumps, are just some of the many issues that residents have for long been complaining about. In one of the latest complaints received by the Laudium Sun, residents have complained about homes being turned illegally into businesses, without being zoned, resulting in filth and noise being brought into the residential area. Many businessmen, mainly foreigners, have also
complained about being exploited by being charged high rentals for the residential properties, despite the properties not being approved by the Council as business premises and that they have to abruptly close their businesses whenever they are warned of Council inspectors being in the area. This time
residents of 9th Avenue, Laudium, complained about residential property owners in the area leasing their properties as business premises, resulting in the area being a hotspot for criminals.
Former tenant, Rayhan Mazumdar, owner of Smart Packaging on 9th Avenue, told the Laudium Sun, “I was operating my shop on 9th Avenue which I leased from Suraya Bhamjee about a year ago. At the time I leased the premises I was under the impression that the premises was in compliance with all the regulations of the Council as there was another shop there also. However, last month, I received a call from some friends to quickly close my shop as there were some inspectors from the Council doing checks on businesses for the day. Then Suraya also told me to close my shop. I was surprised as I was not doing anything wrong and said that the inspectors could come check my shop. It was only later
that I learnt that the shop was illegally built and that there was no permission given by the Council to trade there. I had to then move out which was very costly for me. I am very hurt as I was not told before I took the shop that it was illegal for me to carry out a business on the premises and also because I was charged so much more rent as I was told that the rental for shops is much more than for those living in houses. We are foreigners in this country and we ask the community to respect us and not treat us like aliens. We are also human beings and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and not to be exploited. Because we are desperate to earn a living so that we can support our families back home, many of the local landlords are renting out houses as shops, which are poorly built and are not even tiled or finished properly, but charging us high rent. However, it seems that foreigners in Laudium are being treated as though we come from a completely different world.”
Vishal Bhoora of 9th Avenue told the Laudium Sun, “There are many landlords in Laudium and in our area who have leased their houses to mainly foreigners, turning residential properties into business spaces illegally. While many of the landlords have moved out of Laudium and are now living comfortably in areas like Raslouw or Centurion, they are collecting high rentals for their Laudium homes, as if these houses are zoned business premises, but are actually not. But we, the ordinary residents still living in Laudium, are suffering because of these disturbing practices, with all these shops being put up near our houses, increasing traffic and noise even during the night and over weekends, not forgetting the rubbish being dumped near the shops. Many of these unscrupulous landlords who rented their houses to mainly the foreigners no longer care about Laudium, as they now live in nicer areas. They don’t worry about the mess these businesses are causing in Laudium. Laudium has become a dumping ground and the main reason for this is the greed of the property owners. It’s shameful how greedy and selfish people have become, showing no concern for their birthplace. Their ancestors or parents may still be living here, but they have moved out with their wives and children. This is pure selfishness, and they should be ashamed of themselves. We all see and talk about the high crime rate in Laudium, but one of the main reasons behind this crime spike is the corrupt and greedy landlords who lease their properties to anyone even illegal foreigners. Leasing residential spaces as business space brings in more money, that is why so many landlords are building shops in front of their homes and keeping the back part as storage space or even for foreigners to live in the back rooms so that they can open their shops till late. What I can’t understand is why is the Council or Councillors are not taking action on all these illegal shops?”
Sumaya Rasool from 9th Avenue told the Laudium Sun, “I have been living in a rented apartment for 25 years, and the space is so small, but the rent is high. It is the many foreigners who are flocking into Laudium creating a shortage of residential space with the landlords taking advantage of the situation and increasing rentals even higher. The landlords are getting much higher rental for houses turned into shops, as many of these foreigners have businesses as fronts. We also want to live in a house, but how can we move into one when the residential houses are now occupied by foreigners who are running businesses in places that are supposed to be residential and the rentals are thus so high. People like us are suffering because of these greedy landlords. The Laudium Sun approached the owner of the property where Smart Packaging used to be, Suraya Bhamjee, who told the Laudium Sun, “I deny ever converting my premises for business purposes or renting it out for business and I have no further comment to make.” However, a file photo clearly shows that the premises was used as a business not very long back.
*When asked to comment on the property on 9th Ave being used for business purposes, Cllr Naeem Patel strangely refused to comment.