Cape Town - The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa will meet with Brass Bell owner Tony White in the coming week to look into the reported public access issues at the restaurant’s premises.
Some Kalk Bay residents and business owners have decried what they termed “discriminatory practices” by the Brass Bell restaurant for years by blocking mainly Cape Flats families from accessing the beach.
They claimed that since 2012 the Brass Bell had gradually made access to the beach and public toilets more difficult.
On New Year’s Day, beachgoers were left fuming that people, mainly from the Cape Flats, had been blocked from accessing a public toilet and tidal pool near the restaurant.
The gate was later re-opened by law enforcement, with authorities saying control over the gate rested with Kalk Bay harbour master Shafiek Ebrahiem.
This week, Kalk Bay ward councillor Aimee Kuhl also said there have been “long-standing public access issues at the Brass Bell premises”.
Kuhl said that despite the property being in a Heritage Protection Overlay Zone, extensive construction work took place on the site prior to the festive season without the council’s consent.
Prasa regional manager Lindelo Matya on Thursday said White had assured Prasa he had kept his end of the agreement for access and any closure and restrictions during the busy festive period was under the control of the City’s law enforcement, and the harbour master and Brass Bell had no role in restricting the access.
There are two issues – one is the harbour beach of which Prasa owns a portion and the rest is owned by the City of Cape Town, and there is a tidal pool in close proximity to the Brass Bell, he said.
The land is owned by Prasa and leased to the Brass Bell restaurant.
“By formal agreement, access to the beach areas and management of the pool and beach areas rests with the City of Cape Town."
“The gate referred to has always been there for safety and security of Prasa property, so that at night access to Prasa property is controlled.
“However, as indicated by agreement, the gates are opened during the day,” Matya said.
By agreement with the City, access to these Prasa-owned beach and pool areas is not restricted.
“The City and harbour master have gone on public record that access was only restricted when City law enforcement deemed it necessary for crowd control and the safety of beach and pool goers, and nothing else. All racist calls are malicious and have no basis in this instance.”
He said Prasa had no reason to doubt White’s business dealings.
White said he was in agreement with Prasa and that this is in sharp contrast to the allegations made by a resident “whose comment could not be further from the truth”.
Despite providing the Cape Times previously with lengthy responses, he said he was never asked to comment on these allegations.
“Although the City of Cape Town provides two huge public pools, they provide no lifesaving equipment or toilets for the public. In fact the Brass Bell often cleans the public pools of litter and seaweed.”
The City had not responded to a request for comment by deadline.