Notice given at bowling club

A church that has allegedly fraudulently leased the Jewish Guild Bowling Club has refused to follow a request to leave the premises, prompting the Joburg Property Company to go to court.
THE Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) will seek a court interdict on 5 August to remove a church that has illegally occupied the Jewish Guild Bowling Club in Observatory.

Councillor Councillor Alison van der Molen: area zoned for sportThis decision comes after the El Peretz Tabernacle congregation refused to vacate the premises on Saturday, 30 July.

JPC spokesperson Brian Mahlangu said El Peretz Tabernacle has been constructing structures at the bowling club without the JPC’s approval. “The church used a fraudulent lease agreement to claim occupation of the facility without paying for usage,” he explained.

Mahlangu said the fraudulent lease agreement covered 50 years and could not be legally entered with any entity without the approval of the mayoral committee.

“City of Joburg properties are leased under an open tender process and there is no record of any tender proposals or supply chain management processes with respect to the church lease. The signatories to the mentioned documents have no authority to sign such documents.”

He said the facility was designed for sporting activities and it would be placed on a tender that targeted sports academies and sporting associations.

“Criminal charges will be laid against the fraudsters as the lease is null and void,” said Mahlangu.

El Peretz Tabernacle’s deacon, Felly Bimalsha, said the lease for the building was legal. “We have got all the proof and correspondence to confirm that we followed the proper channels,” he said.

El TebernacleThe Jewish Bowling Club now serves as a churchHe explained that the church went to JPC offices to have the lease signed. However, he failed to disclose the amount of money it was paying the City to rent the property.

Bimalsha said his church was recognised by the Social Welfare Department in Pretoria and had spent R150 000 on fixing the property. “We fixed everything here; it was just a rubbish dump.”

The Ward 118 councillor for the area, Alison van der Molen, said the property was zoned for sport and they were never approached by the organisation to set up the church.

Van der Molen said she had turned down one of the members of the church who had attempted to offer her money to approve the lease. “I am not bribable; I do not take any bribes,” she added.

Johannesburg metro police officials searched the property, which they had been watching since Wednesday night. It is suspected that drug related activity is taking place inside.