The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) welcomes the Gauteng High Court’s ruling ordering Heidelberg Beer Festival CC to vacate the premises of the Heidelberg Heritage Museum (also known as the Heidelberg Transport Museum) due to illegal occupation, unpaid debt and safety concerns.
The party had urged the Lesedi Local Municipality (Heidelberg, Ratanda, Devon, Impumelelo) to urgently resolve the matter, as the owner of the Heidelberg Beer Festival, Bouwe Wiersma, did not have a valid lease agreement with the Municipality and had illegally occupied the premises for the past 19 years.
Wiersma established a brewery on the site and sublet buildings to several businesses, including restaurants and a photography company. Festivals were also hosted on the premises.
Numerous residents asked the Freedom Front Plus for help with the noise disturbance caused by these festivals.
In addition, the owner failed to pay an outstanding electricity bill of R1,3 million to the Municipality, forcing restaurants to rely on generators to serve customers.
The Freedom Front Plus is pleased that the matter has finally been resolved and there are new plans in place to utilise the premises for the benefit of residents and the Municipality.
The party has already proposed that the Mayor, Mr Mluleki Nkosi, and the acting Municipal Manager, Thodeka Zondi, should approach organisations such as the Heidelberg Heritage Association and Heidelberg Hope to promote the Museum.
The Freedom Front Plus wholeheartedly supports preserving the premises as a historical heritage site for future generations and will do everything in its power to bring it about.
