Pietermaritzburg - Illegal B&B establishments were robbing Pietermaritzburg of its rates base, creating unfair competition and giving the city a bad brand name, the director of the city’s tourism body said on Monday
Dumisani Mhlongo, of the Msunduzi Pietermaritzburg Tourism Association, was speaking at a gathering arranged to inform businesses involved in the tourism sector about how to become legal and comply with the law.
Mhlongo said there were a lot of brothels parading as B&Bs and the municipality and police had intensified efforts to stop this.
A special task team was put together more than two months ago to investigate motels and so-called bed and breakfasts that were actually brothels.
The team had served notice on more than 20 properties, shutting down five major brothels.
Mhlongo encouraged businesses to report brothels and illegal B&Bs. The names of complainants would not be revealed.
The Mercury