Popular chisanyama joint known as Skyf in Mamelodi was demolished on Tuesday and razed to a rubble by City of Tshwane Municipality officials, Tshwane Metro Police and workers of a company known as Red Ants, which specialises in carrying out forced removals and protecting land from being invaded illegally.
This move is the latest incident in Mamelodi whereby the City of Tshwane Municipality demolishes illegal structures which violate the Tshwane Metro’s by-laws.
There were mixed reactions from the residents of Mamelodi regarding the demolition of Skyf chisanyama outlet, which is famous for its purple-colouted structure and good food and meat which was sold there.
The owner of the joint, commonly known as Moruti, was at a loss for words regarding the demolition of his property. Skyf chisanyama outlet has been operating for close to 15 years now.
“I am distraught, I can’t say anything,” he said as the Red Ants demolished his property and carried parts of it away with them.
“I feel bad about the demolition of Skyf chisanyama outlet because every time we wanted to relieve stress we would come here to hang out; but some meat and enjoy our drinks and now that it is gone we don’t know what we will do,” said a concerned resident who is one of the patrons of the chisanyama outlet.
“I am asking myself as to what will happen to people who used to work here at the Skyf chisanyama joint earning salaries because although the Municipality says the joint is an illegal structure, the so-called legal structures in Mamelodi don’t offer employment to residents like this place used to,” said another resident.
“The owner of the business is a kind man who feeds lots of needy families in the area and provided employment for many residents and if the reason for its closure is that children also frequent the place and spend most of their time there, then that is not the problem of the owner but the parents who can’t control their own children,” said a disappointed lady resident who blamed the whole demolition incident on jealousy by some residents.
“Somebody rushed to the Municipality to bad-mouth the owner of this place because his business was thriving and many people accepted the owner and regarded him as a kind man, it is a pity that he has established hus business in a place full of witches who want to see the downfall of his business,” said the lady resident.
“I think the owner should have been consulted and warned by the Municipality before his property could be demolished like this because he has spent lots of money setting up the chisanyama structure and I pity people who used to work here because now they have lost their jobs,” said another lady resident.
Ward 6 Councillor Shiba Madonsela told Tshwane Talks that he has got mixed reactions regarding the demolition of Skyf chisanyama outlet because it is an illegal structure as it is built on the pavement and this is a clear violation of the Municipality’s bylaws.
“And another thing is that he used to open until very late in the evening, which something I used to warn him against doing,” said Councillor Madonsela as he in the process explained that “the owner of the chisanyama outlet didn’t only violate the late night vibe regulations but was also found not to be having a health certificate which would clear him and allow him to sell food.”
He pointed out that he and the community in general don’t have a problem with the owner of the chisanyama outlet Moruti operating hus business, especially as he didn’t sell alcohol and only sold food and provided music for people to come to his place and hang out.
“I am sympathisjng with the owner of the place because he has invested a lot in his business and most importantly he provided the much-needed jobs to the community, and right now 10 to 15people who relied on him to put food on the table for their families have lost their jobs,” he said.
“My fundamental message is that there must be a balance between enforcing the bylaws of the Municipality and the promotion of social investments which provide jobs for our people,” he said.
He revealed that the Skyf chisanyama outlet isn’t the only one that is violating the Municipality bylaws in the street wherein it was operating as there are close to 20 other businesses like salons, car wash outlets and containers selling motor spares which have been built in the pavements of the selfsame street but have not been demolished.
Madonsela advised anyone who wants to operate a home-based business to erect their structures inside their own yards and avoid tempering with the pavements because on the pavements there is sewerage and electricity lines of the Municipality.
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