Page 147 - Bulletin 7 2003

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beach and keep order in the fishing place. He also impressed upon Beran that by
granting him this concession Beran would not obtain any rights by such

occupation. Beran did considerable improvements “at his own risk” and lived
there for 16 years before the Village Management Board, on 21 December 1892,

wrote to the Secretary for Lands, Mines and Agriculture asking how to handle

Mohammed Beran as there was a problem with sanitation at his property, and
Beran seemed to think he owned the property, “and can do as he likes, refusing to

obey any V. M. B. requests”. The Government replied that Beran lived on Crown
land, had no title, was granted the land under sufferance, had no right or claim

secured, and could be removed at short notice. The problem, however, remained
and Beran continued to ignore the requests of the V. M. B., and later those of the

Kalk Bay Municipality.

The New Police Station

It may have been the on-going wrangling with Mohammed Beran that decided
the Chief Inspector of Public Works to choose this site for a police station. The

planning of the new police station was well underway before Adshead, the lock-
up-keeper, resigned on 1 January 1899. The Secretary of Public Works had

written, as far back as 2 October 1896, to the Under-Secretary for Agriculture to
find a suitable site. No site had been found by the end of the year and the Chief

Inspector of Public Works requested on 21 January 1897 that the Resident

Magistrate of Simon’s Town, Mr. Charles A. Horne, approach Mohammed Beran
with the intention to expropriate his cottage, as continual complaints had been

received from the Kalk Bay Municipality about Beran’s conduct. Compensation
to Beran was agreed at £75 and he could also take the galvanized iron roof and

any other fixtures (windows, doors etc.), but was to leave the stonework
foundation. This was agreed to as the cottage would be demolished, bar the

foundations, and a new police station built. Architects Greaves and Howard of

the P. W. D. were instructed to proceed with the design (They had prepared
sketch drawings as early as July 1896). Once Beran’s cottage was demolished