Johannesburg - A Linden resident has
been 'fined' R1500 by the Joburg metro police department (JMPD) for repaving his driveway area.
An infuriated Bijan Rahmatzadeh said he had appointed a company to repave his yard by replacing the old bricks in front of his driveway gate.
“A JMPD officer stopped in front of my door and demanded a permit from the man in charge of the paving and also told him that if he could not produce the permit, they should pay him R500 cash or he would take some of the bricks away.”
Rahmatzadeh was then called. “I arrived at my house and was shocked to hear that a permit is required to replace old paving in front of my house. I asked the officer if any of the many other neighbours who had repaved had permits to do so.
“The aggressive officer had nothing to answer. I then asked him why he had asked for a bribe from the headman of the paving team, but he denied doing so.
"Several workers witnessed the bribe attempt and are prepared to come to court and stand as witness,” he said.
He added that the director of the paving company told me that in his 25 years in the business he had never heard of a permit being required to replace paving in front of anyone’s house.
“I also told the officer that actually municipalities always encourage residents to beautify the front of their house and that by doing paving, I was also making it more comfortable for pedestrians passing. But the officer was adamant to give me a R1500 fine.”
Metro police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar confirmed that no permit is required for brick paving.
A wayleave permit was required only if work was carried out on the roadway.
An internal probe was already under way at the JMPD internal affairs unit concerning the matter, and disciplinary action would be taken against the officer if found guilty, Minnaar said.