THE DA VINCI CARWASH SAGA: AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE. I may not be clued into what has happened at the highly popular spot called Da VInci Carwash earlier this evening, but the reality of the matter is that, using force is never a solution as logic is lost along the way. I am not gonna dwell into petitions, noise levels, liquor licenses and traffic issues allegations that I do not have facts on but I want to emphasize some positive aspects of such a place and also highlight on the conditions that lead to such issues. Maybe I need to start with the issue of concerns by the residents around the place where this joint is... It is not a fault for someone to think and grab an opportunity when it arises within a market that will sustain his business and make it work. All black townships in urban areas were either developed by local companies or the government precisely to house the labour that fuelled these economies. These settlements were purely developed for housing these people with no better or modern facilities to cater for their entertainment, recreation and leisure. So the Apartheid Town Planning Scheme is at fault here with our very own 20 year old government that is still failing to change that status quo. The municipal building inspectors will attest to the fact that more than 60% of township housing extensions, perimetre wall fencing and other developments are illegal. There are no practical bylaws that can be effected within the traditionally black townships due to the challenges of the still active Pre and post Apartheid Township Planning Scheme. This only mean that, economic and other benefits that are enjoyed by other South Africans, especially those who have been benefiting before, will never filter down to the masses packed within these townships due to these schemes. Every township has no designated Central Business Districts [CBDs]. That alone limits economic and spatial development within a particular area. Since the days of the 1980-90s Street Bashes, police harassment, through illegal means as there are no practical and legitimate bylaws governing that, has been the order of the day. The still white and privileged liqour act, that to this day still prohibit black people from brewing and dealing with their very own Traditional African Beer, is still intact and fused with Violence, Public Drinking and Disturbance of Peace with un-measurable noise levels to legitimise it. All these things are the cause of these problems and challenges, NOT the initiatives like DaVinci Carwash and its patrons. In a Free country, you cant regulate fun. You may pass laws that can limit certain liberties for the benefit of the ravers and other people, but you can never tell people how to have fun. Da Vinci Car Wash was a great thought and initiative. The absence of economic development foresight and initiative from our local authorities, led to todays raid. We have plenty such joints in this country, but due to visionaries within some municipalities, these initiatives are supported and even guided to be legit and also curb some problems that may arise. The employed police personnel including those who gave the order for the raid, ignored the growing number of food stalls that emerged since Da Vinci Carwash started. These are feeding families and change peoples lives. Within the existing challenges and issues that are not pleasant, like lack of toilets and parking, the place marketed Sharpeville more than the 20 years efforts by both local government to bring tourists to Sharpeville. The place have been visited by more people in this short space, than people who ever visited the very expensive Sharpeville Monument in the last 10 years. The place has created more vendors on a sustained basis than all developments at the Memorial Precinct in ratio terms. These are comparisons that should make people to start thinking unlike thinking that closing the place will wash away whatever reasons there are. Da Vinci Carwash is a private success story. Its challenges can be fixed through proper visionary interventions that should take into account the regional benefits, personal benefits of the operators and the general community benefits of those who grabbed business opportunities since the place started. Other concerns should be addressed too for the comfort of everyone, but we should remember that nothing in this world satisfy everyone. Even Jesus Christ is not loved by all. Setjhaba Butchery in Bloemfontein is in front of a school, in the main road but has never been threatened with closure as it has brought economic benefits to the township and also is a tourist spot. Vilakazi Street has changed dramatically from what it used to be and planned for. People were assisted to operate within the law as well as being in line with neighbours concerns and expectations. This is what I am talking about. The absence of vision and local economic development, is the problem here, not Da Vinci. Just like some visionless politicians who opposed my Yizo Ke Tsona when I sold from the pavement, Da Vinci is a victim of stupidity by those who should be assisting such initiatives within the townships, as there can never be designated areas to operate such things due to Apartheid Town Planning Schemes that they know. I hope someone will wake up tomorrow and start thinking or call us so that we advice for free. We cant let development to be stopped due to lack of foresight. AS I SAID, I DO NOT KNOW THE REASONS FOR TODAYS RAID BUT THIS PLACE IS BENEFICIAL TO MORE PEOPLE THAN THOSE IT OFFENDS. NB: NYAOPE IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT AFFECTS EVERYONE NEGATIVELY, FROM USERS TO CULPRITS OF BREAK-INS AND THEFT. NO RAID OF SUCH KIND HAS EVEN BEEN MADE ON NYAOPE USERS, DESPITE THE NUMBER OF CASES REPORTED ON NYAOPE RELATED OR FUELED CRIMES, EVEN AFTER NYAOPE HAS BEEN DECLARED AN ILLEGAL DRUG AND ITS USERS ARE KNOWN. We are far from being there. Inde le ndlela... #VukaVaal #VukaKasi #SHARPEVILLE_FIRST
Posted on: Fri, 23 May 2014 20:30:23 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015