A blind sax player from Hanover Park who relies on his beloved instrument to help him make ends meet says Law Enforcement has booted him from his busking spots in Camps Bay.
Kenneth ‘Kenny’ Herman, 54, has been busking along Camps Bay Main Road for the past 10 years.
In February, he appealed for help to repair his 8-year-old saxophone which was being held together by elastic bands. A few days later, he was assisted with a new saxophone with the help of the Western Cape Premier’s office.
Kenny says he wakes up early from Wednesdays to Sundays to catch a taxi from Hanover Park to the CBD, where he has to ask people to help him down a flight of stairs to catch a taxi to Camps Bay, all while carrying his camping chair, collection box and sax case.
Most days he busks so that he can have taxi fare home and buy something to eat.
“For the past two weeks, I was being stopped from busking by Law Enforcement officers in the Camps Bay area. I was told by the officers that there are complaints from surrounding restaurants saying I am making a noise with my saxophone.
“I have never in all the ten years of busking here had a problem with any of the business owners.
“When the officers told me to leave the spot outside the Kauai, I got up and left and went to continue busking a few meters away at the Camps Bay Taxi Rank, but that was also a problem.
“Sometimes there are youth also busking, dancing and playing drums, but they aren’t asked to move. I don’t have a busking permit because that was never a requirement for me there.”
City Law Enforcement spokesman Wayne Dyason says they are looking into the matter.
venecia.america@inl.co.za