A SCRAP metal dealer in St Pauls Road, North End, has nearby business owners fuming with anger.
Managers and owners of several businesses in the vicinity said Buffalo Scrap Metal was causing chaos in the area since new owners took over as trucks were blocking off customer parking areas and loading zones.
When the Daily Dispatch visited the area on Tuesday morning, loaded bakkies and trucks had blocked the road while some scrap metal was being off-loaded into a shipping container on the side of the road.
The manager of Cold Storage company, Johan Vermeulen said the situation was an every day challenge.
“I cannot off load goods at my store because the vehicles that are coming to the metal shop block my off-loading zone,” said Vermeulen.
The owner of Pete’s Chicken, Dean Willows, said his customers were often parked in by the vehicles selling scrap.
“I have to go out about 20 times a day to speak to the scrap dealer and ask him to get his customers to move their vehicles.
“I have also called the traffic department to come out and assist but that does not help,” said Willows.
The owner of United Refrigerators, Garth Delport said the chaos started when new owners took over the scrap metal business a few months back.
“I have lost customers because no one wants to come here and risk getting their tyres pierced by nails and pieces of metal on the road.”
Delport claimed he had replaced seven tyres this year that were damaged by nails and metal lying in the road.
But the owner of the scrap metal business, Gary Shroeder, dismissed the allegations and said the complainants were jealous of his “booming” business.
“There is nothing illegal happening here and I cannot tell my customers where to park and where not to park.”
Shroeder, however, agreed that there was an access problem.
“I am currently acquiring another premises were I will be moving some of the business to,” he said.
Buffalo City Metro spokesman, Thandy Matebese said he has brought the matter to the attention of environmental services, customer care and traffic departments.
— arethal@dispatch.co.za
Scrap metal firm’s ‘parking chaos’ angers businesses
Managers and owners of several businesses in the vicinity said Buffalo Scrap Metal was causing chaos in the area since new owners took over as trucks were blocking off customer parking areas and loading zones.
When the Daily Dispatch visited the area on Tuesday morning, loaded bakkies and trucks had blocked the road while some scrap metal was being off-loaded into a shipping container on the side of the road.
The manager of Cold Storage company, Johan Vermeulen said the situation was an every day challenge.
“I cannot off load goods at my store because the vehicles that are coming to the metal shop block my off-loading zone,” said Vermeulen.
The owner of Pete’s Chicken, Dean Willows, said his customers were often parked in by the vehicles selling scrap.
“I have to go out about 20 times a day to speak to the scrap dealer and ask him to get his customers to move their vehicles.
“I have also called the traffic department to come out and assist but that does not help,” said Willows.
The owner of United Refrigerators, Garth Delport said the chaos started when new owners took over the scrap metal business a few months back.
“I have lost customers because no one wants to come here and risk getting their tyres pierced by nails and pieces of metal on the road.”
Delport claimed he had replaced seven tyres this year that were damaged by nails and metal lying in the road.
But the owner of the scrap metal business, Gary Shroeder, dismissed the allegations and said the complainants were jealous of his “booming” business.
“There is nothing illegal happening here and I cannot tell my customers where to park and where not to park.”
Shroeder, however, agreed that there was an access problem.
“I am currently acquiring another premises were I will be moving some of the business to,” he said.
Buffalo City Metro spokesman, Thandy Matebese said he has brought the matter to the attention of environmental services, customer care and traffic departments.
— arethal@dispatch.co.za
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