PUBLIC NOTICE: UNAUTHORISED HOUSE SHOP ON LAND ZONED FOR SINGLE RESIDENTIAL ZONE I PURPOSES
Issued by the George Municipality
The George Municipal Council approved a revised Policy On House Shops And Other Residential-Based Retail Concerns in November 2021. The revised policy establishes sustainable land use management guidelines to allow the operation of house shops or similar micro-enterprises from residential properties, with specific focus given to low-income residential neighbourhoods such as townships, subsidy housing areas, and informal settlement areas – to ensure their short-term economic sustainability while also facilitating the long-term spatial strategy for these neighbourhoods.
The residential business survey conducted by the George Municipality’s Town Planning Department in March 2022 revealed that of the 308 house shops recorded in the George Municipal area, including Blanco. Pacaltsdorp, Thembalethu, Wilderness, Haarlem, and Uniondale, only five (5) are legal in terms of the Town Planning law. This has therefore necessitated a vigorous drive on rectification of illegal house shops in the greater George area.
The George Municipality has issued notices to all illegal house shops in terms of that are section 85 (1) of the George Municipality’s By-law on Municipal Land Use Planning:
These house shops have utilised land in a manner other than prescribed by a zoning scheme without the approval of the municipality.
These house shops have been instructed in terms of section 86 of the said legislation, to cease the unlawful land use and/or the construction activity or both, without delay or within 30 days of the date of registration of this notice.
- The house shops can either:
- Apply to rectify the unlawful land use and/or construction activity in terms of section 86(2)(b) of the said legislation within 30 days of date of registration of this notice. However, this must not be construed as an indication that the application will be approved, or
- Demolish unauthorised building work and rehabilitate the land or restore the building to its original form within 30 days of date of registration of this notice.
- They may object to this notice by lodging written representations to the Municipality within 30 days of the date of registration of this notice in terms of section 87 (6) of the said legislation.
- The house shop must please note that failure to comply with the above request may result in further action, legal or otherwise, being taken against them in terms of section 88(1)(g)(i)-(v) of the said legislation.
ILLEGAL HOUSE SHOPS GRANTED 3 MONTHS AMNESTY PERIOD TO RECTIFY THEIR OPERATION AND TO AVOID PAYMENT OF PENALTIES OR FINES
As part of the rectification process, all owners and/or operators of illegal house shops or 3rd party retail concerns, including those who have previously been served a notice, will now be granted an amnesty period of 3 months to rectify their operation and avoid the payment of any penalties or fines. The amnesty will only be granted if the operator can present proof of the shop’s existence prior to the implementation of the new zoning scheme on 1 September 2017 and accepts the General Conditions of Approval for house shops. The granting of amnesty shall not be construed as an indicator of support for their illegal businesses, or that their application will be approved. The amnesty period will close on 30 November 2022.
HOW TO REACH THE MUNICIPALITY FOR RECTIFICATION
The owners can contact the official who issued the notice on the phone number, or the email address provided thereon. They can also visit the offices on the 5th floor, municipal building, 71 York Street. For enquiries, the public can contact our office on Tel: 044 801 9477. They also send an email to town.planning.complaints@george.gov.za to register a service request. There will be a town planner on duty each day to assist with these queries.
Issued by George Municipality
26 August 2022
