DURBAN - eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda is urging business owners to obey city’s by-laws or risk either being fined or having their businesses closed.
Officials this week conducted an oversight visit to a number of areas as part of the clean-up operations coordinated by the city’s rapid response team.
Kaunda said a clean-up operation in the beachfront precinct this week saw some non-compliant restaurants closed and others fined for contravening the city’s by-laws.
Owners of a restaurant in Dr Pixley KaSeme Street were ordered to close with immediate effect after they were caught red-handed operating under unhygienic conditions.
Cockroaches, reused old cooking oil and sewerage water near the kitchen, greeted officials who descended on the food outlet unannounced.
Environmental health manager, Peter Roberts said the store will remain closed until it fully complies with food by-laws.
“We cannot allow the restaurant to sell food prepared in such unsanitary conditions. It poses serious danger on the lives of the unwary members of the public. We are sending a clear message out there that this city has by-laws, and they must be complied with without fail.
“During this operation, more than R30 000 fines were issued. Other shops were laden with expired merchandise while other fast food outlets’ kitchens were in a very bad state,” he said.
Other units attended to clogged storm water drains while others dealt with malfunctioning traffic lights and street lights on Slyvester Ntuli Road, Walnut Avenue, AB Xuma Street, Sandile Thusi Road, and Stalwart Simelane Street.
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