Outrage after NW municipal confiscates informal mechanics' toolboxes

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RUSTENBURG - The Rustenburg local municipality in North West on Thursday, defended its action for confiscating toolboxes from informal motor mechanics plying their trade at the city's taxi rank. The municipality posted on its Facebook page that it has confiscated 30 toolboxes and impounded two vehicles for being illegally attended to by mechanics on prohibited municipal land. "City by-laws will be enforced indiscriminately, therefore municipality when enforcing bylaws has no specific targets," spokesperson David Magae said on Thursday. Facebook users blasted the municipality for going hard on informal mechanic and leaving criminals to do as they please in the platinum-rich city. "Those tools you took was the bread and butter, why not discipline them about what's right and what's wrong, the reason they are there is because of the spares shops close by and the area that's not utilised it serves of shade . Educate them if they not doing proper conduction of repairs, but don't take their tools away. Charge them a yearly fee, create a safe operating environment but don't break their morals," commented José Aguiar posted to the social media site.

Another user, Sunny Komane commented: "Like really? Are you guys serious? Is this what you call leadership and law enforcement? Guys please go back to school, honestly you guys need training. Instead of up-skilling those mechanics and initiating [National Qualifications Framework] NQF programmes for them you take away whats sustaining their lives? And please by what 'by-law' of the municipality did you execute that? This is a clear violation of human rights. How can you pride yourselves with such things? Remove this disgraceful and shaming post."

Magae said there were no designated areas which have been approved for informal motor mechanics.

"All mechanical workshops are approved for industrial sites and indoor closed sites. The Municipality must account for healthy and safety standards, to ensure this hazardous material must not be handled in open areas," he said.

The municipality said a plan had been put in place to address the issues pertaining to illegal traders near the bridges, leading to the bus and taxi rank.

On Thursday, the municipality said 11 people were arrested a the Trans Cash and Carry for allegedly producing fake certificates and other documents.

African News Agency (ANA)