The owners of the office block situated at 96 Meade Street in George, Johan and Wilma Rademan, are facing strong opposition after they gave their building a somewhat colourful face-lift. The building is predominantly green with blue and white paint effects and is a real eye-catcher in a street dominated by beige, cream and light-brown shop fronts and flats.
The colours were chosen to correspond with their online business directory's corporate identity.
Both Rademans are on the committee responsible for the 200 year celebrations of George in 2011 and wanted their building to be fresh faced for the new century.
No neighbourly love lost
But their neighbour, Nico Muller, who owns Mulland Flats next door, does not share their sentiments and strongly disapproves of their colour scheme being applied to a side wall.
Mrs Rademan says Mr Muller made his disapproval very clear last Monday. "As the team of painters were about to paint the top of the side wall facing his flats, Mr Muller told them in no uncertain terms to come down. He was incredibly worked up and started to shake the high scaffolding about, endangering the lives of the wor-kers.
"After phoning the police and the building inspector I went downstairs. Mr Muller was very threatening and beside himself with anger. He also accused me of trespassing as the scaffolding had to be erected on his property. The side wall of our building is, by mutual consent, built on the borderline."
Mrs Rademan says Mr Muller’s mother gave her the access code to the gate because their Telkom lines cross the Mulland property and need to be serviced from time to time.
Aesthetically unpleasing
She says after the police and municipal building officials arrived she thought her ordeal was over, but was then told by a member of the municipal aesthetic committee that the bright colours of the buil-ding are not allowed. "He suggested that we swap the green and the blue around. Have you ever heard such drivel? At that point my husband, Johan, arrived, blissfully unaware of the drama. After hearing what had happened he was livid, but to avoid further conflict, he ordered the painters to break down the scaffolding and call it a day."
Mrs Rademan says as an owner of prime property in town she is outraged. "Where on earth have you heard of a municipal body telling you what colours you are allowed to paint your own building? Nonetheless, I have continuously asked various officials at the municipality for proof of their colour laws, but it is now two weeks and I still haven’t heard a single word."
Muller denies claims
Mulland Flats’ owner, Nico Muller, tells a different story. "I never shook the scaffolding about, but I did order them off my property as they gained access and erected the scaffolding without my permission. Before they started work I spoke to Mrs Rademan and said surely they would paint the sidewall facing the Mulland residents the same light shade as the division wall, but was told in a very rude manner exactly where to get off."
He says he has no problem with green walls facing the street, but the colour that faces his residential complex should take into account the view facing the occupants of the flats. He denies any knowledge of Telkom lines making it necessary for the Rademans to have access to the Mulland security code.
"Mrs Rademan claims that she got the code for the security gate from my mother, but this is impossible as my mother has been in Australia for the past six weeks. Since she left the code has also been changed."
Love it or hate it
In the meantime the painting operations are standing still and the Rademans have posted photographs of numerous other brightly painted buildings in town on the web.
Their colour choice has received a lot of support on the site and on Facebook and when the George Herald conducted a mini poll, some people hated it, but most people liked it. Words like fresh, happy and clean were used, but some locals found it garish.
The George Herald was still awaiting comment from the George Municipality.
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The Rademans want to paint the top two thirds of this sidewall green.
Article and photos: Ilse Schoonraad
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