The owner of a coffee shop in Parkhurst is outraged that her premises was raided by police and her tables and chairs confiscated because they allegedly took up too much of the pavement.
“At 9.30pm (on Tuesday), a huge metro truck, six metro vehicles and 30 officers parked in front of our shop, completely blocking 4th Avenue,” said Espresso Caffe & Bistro owner Jo-Ann Hinis.
“They removed the whole front row of tables and chairs.
“We have been here for 14 years. Ethically and in principle we keep the walkway open. We know it’s a residential area and we have always tried to be very compliant.”
Hinis said the cops man-handled customers, had no warrants and wouldn’t provide badge numbers or names.
“I feel like they targeted us. No one else on the street had their tables confiscated.”
She will have to pay a fine of R2 000 to get her 14 tables back.
Joburg metro police spokesman Wayne Minnaar said “there are some restaurants which have extended outside, where tables and chairs are not an obstruction. Where they obstruct pedestrians, we confiscate them”.
He said it was a joint operation between JMPD and SAPS.
“There have been operations in those areas in the past. They know it is illegal to put tables there,” he said.
Ward 117 councillor Tim Truluck said “the by-laws and rules and regulations are not being implemented. They (police) either go in heavy-handed like they did now, or they don’t go at all”.
“There are no regular JMPD patrols in Parkhurst, so people go along, often not knowing they are breaking the law.”
Truluck said the police “seem to be picking on one or two restaurants open late. Guys transgressing during the day don’t get this.” - The Star