- A storage company has until Friday 19 January to remove up to 100 shipping containers “illegally” moved onto Riverview Church of Christ premises in Main Road, Lakeside.
- The City of Cape Town says property in question is zoned for residential use and thus cannot be used for storage business purposes.
- The City served a notice in terms of the National Building Regulations, against the storage company to stop erecting any more containers.
A storage company has until Friday 19 January to remove up to 100 shipping containers “illegally” moved onto Riverview Church of Christ premises in Main Road, Lakeside.
The City of Cape Town’s Deputy mayor and Mayco member for spatial planning and environment Eddie Andrews explains that the property in question is zoned for residential use and thus cannot be used for storage business purposes.
“A notice was served on Monday 18 December which gives the owner/operator 30 days’ notice in which to cease the activity of the ‘container site’ which is being used contrary to the Single Residential SR1 zone. The owner/operator has until 19 January to remove the containers.”
In addition to that, the City served a notice in terms of the National Building Regulations, against the storage company to stop erecting any more containers.
“The property is zoned for single residential subzone SR1 and thus cannot be used for storage business purposes. Consequently, the containers and structures are illegal.”
Andrews added that the City intends to enforce the applicable legislation to restore the property to its former state.
“The Municipal Planning bylaw requires an owner and or operator to do due diligence on what is allowed on a property before entering into a transaction to conduct a land use activity.
“The City of Cape Town has served the required notices and the activity will have to cease and the unlawful structures removed in line with these notices.”
In a statement, the church claims members watched in horror as over 100 containers arrived at the premises last month. “The ground where the congregation once prayed to God will be swallowed up by 150 containers. Those containers present a coffin for the church we have cherished for over 60 years in peace and harmony.
“Residents in the area have protested at the noise being made and the sudden use of the grounds as an industrial site when the municipality has granted no such permission.”
Dereck Beukes, a member of the church, tells People’s Post that the church consists of two factions. According to him, one of the factions entered into an illegal agreement with a storage operator.
“We are sitting with 100 containers on the property and the City has ordered for the containers to be removed. A metric storage company, where people rent the containers, signed an agreement. I’ve seen a boat stored in one container and the spaces are being rented out. It is fraudulent to use the church’s name in such a way, especially when the premises are supposed to be for the exclusive use of the church.”
Dealtry Pickford, owner of Metric Storage, confirmed that a five-year lease had been signed with the church trustees.
However, at the time he was not aware of two factions within the church.
“We were under the impression that we were dealing with the correct party. It seems there are two factions and Metric Storage is collateral damage in this dispute.”
The two factions within the church have been in legal dispute for more than a decade.
According to Pickford, before moving containers on site an application for land use was lodged in mid-November. “The property was overgrown and somewhat dilapidated, so we started clearing the land and that drew the attention of the other faction who informed the City.
“The town planner advised that it was common practice for land use departure applications, without approval in place, and that is how it typically was done.
“There was no transgression at that time because we delivered a single container with tools which is permissible under the building regulations. Following that we made a land use departure application.”
Pickford further claims that he tried to engage with the City within the compliance period.
“If they are not willing to engage with me it would be impossible to comply by Friday. It takes time to move the containers, there must be a place to take the containers and there are close to 100 containers so it would take time.
“I reached out to the local councillor to discuss how we could comply with this notice.”
He added that it was unfortunate that it has come to such a negative light.
“People think that I am new to the community but I am not. I have been invested in this area for more than 30 years; I operate a business and live in the area. It is unfortunate that it has come to such a negative light.
“I am trying to comply with the notice but the City is not interested in dialogues, which is disappointing.”
