FED up with vagrants vandalising his premises and truck drivers using his business parking bays as a truck stop, a Richards Bay businessman has called for police and municipal intervention.
Nardus Jooste, owner of 4X4 Megaworld in Bullion Boulevard, said he has endured months of endless problems of vandalism, damage to his property and theft of air-conditioning units.
On Tuesday he arrived at his business to find his glass window cracked as well as litter and used condoms scattered at his entrance.
After numerous reports were made to the City of uMhlathuze, Richards Bay SAPS, Community Policing Forum and Business Against Crime, Jooste said he was all out of options.
He wants the matter to be addressed with urgency as his business operations are being negatively affected.
‘A vagrant who regularly sleeps outside our building is said to be mentally ill.
‘During the day he sometimes goes and sits in the middle of the road and we are told nothing can be done by authorities because of his mental state.
‘The vagrants have put sand in my locks, left litter scattered in front of the building and have now damaged my glass window which costs about R3 500 to repair.
‘I also find litter and used condoms thrown at my entrance on a daily basis and it is quite frustrating having to do the clean-up everyday. ‘How is a business supposed to function with all these challenges, it is difficult enough for us with the impact of a downward economic trend?’
He said he will report the matter at the next Business Community Policing Forum.
A case of malicious damage to property has been opened at Richards Bay SAPS.
