An official of the Eastern Cape Softball Association has conceded that patrons leaving Ground X Music Lounge operating from the Philip Kahts softball stadium in Bunkers Hill have been disturbing the peace in the neighbourhood.
Referring to the music lounge as a “disco” and adopting a conciliatory approach, Bongani Masika addressed about 20 Bunkers Hill residents at a community meeting on Wednesday evening.
Angry residents say they were being disturbed by blaring car radios, speeding cars and shouting, as patrons left the venue between 2am and 5am.
Residents resolved to follow a legal route to resolve the matter.
Masika said the liquor licence had been obtained in 2013 on behalf of the softball association, which allowed liquor to be sold until 2am.
He said the association had asked Luthando Bara to run the bar as a means of raising money for softball.
“There is no actual sub-letting,” he said.
Responding to a query from Daily Dispatch, Eastern Cape Liquor Board (ECLB) spokesman Mgwebi Msiya said councillor Siyabonga Jabavu, who was responsible for Ward 47 where the stadium was situated, had signed the liquor licence in 2014.
However, Bunkers Hill is situated in Ward 18, which is represented by councillor Isabel Thompson.
Thompson said she had never signed a liquor licence for this venue.
Msiya said yesterday that liquor licence applications had to be signed by “the councillor from the ward according to law”.
“When we received the forms, we expected they were verified by the municipality.”
He said according to the Liquor Act, a process of consultation with the ward committee had been done, but was unaware in which ward this community meeting had taken place.
He said the matter was being investigated by the ECLB.
Bara, who is out of the country, said yesterday that the facility was “fully licensed”.
“The stadium owns the licence.
“The issue of which councillor signed must be subjected to an investigation by the Liquor Board. We will review our involvement once a determination is made.”
Bunker’s Hill bothered by blare
An official of the Eastern Cape Softball Association has conceded that patrons leaving Ground X Music Lounge operating from the Philip Kahts softball stadium in Bunkers Hill have been disturbing the peace in the neighbourhood.
Referring to the music lounge as a “disco” and adopting a conciliatory approach, Bongani Masika addressed about 20 Bunkers Hill residents at a community meeting on Wednesday evening.
Angry residents say they were being disturbed by blaring car radios, speeding cars and shouting, as patrons left the venue between 2am and 5am.
Residents resolved to follow a legal route to resolve the matter.
Masika said the liquor licence had been obtained in 2013 on behalf of the softball association, which allowed liquor to be sold until 2am.
He said the association had asked Luthando Bara to run the bar as a means of raising money for softball.
“There is no actual sub-letting,” he said.
Responding to a query from Daily Dispatch, Eastern Cape Liquor Board (ECLB) spokesman Mgwebi Msiya said councillor Siyabonga Jabavu, who was responsible for Ward 47 where the stadium was situated, had signed the liquor licence in 2014.
However, Bunkers Hill is situated in Ward 18, which is represented by councillor Isabel Thompson.
Thompson said she had never signed a liquor licence for this venue.
Msiya said yesterday that liquor licence applications had to be signed by “the councillor from the ward according to law”.
“When we received the forms, we expected they were verified by the municipality.”
He said according to the Liquor Act, a process of consultation with the ward committee had been done, but was unaware in which ward this community meeting had taken place.
He said the matter was being investigated by the ECLB.
Bara, who is out of the country, said yesterday that the facility was “fully licensed”.
“The stadium owns the licence.
“The issue of which councillor signed must be subjected to an investigation by the Liquor Board. We will review our involvement once a determination is made.”
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