Camps Bay Social Club Ousted for Illicit Cannabis Sales

In the affluent neighborhood of Camps Bay in Cape Town, an exclusive social club, Infusion Social Club, faced eviction from its rented premises after it was revealed that the club misled the Camps Bay Investment Trust (CBIT) and the community about its operations. Instead of continuing the legacy of a café, the club had secretly set up a cannabis smoking room, which led to significant community uproar.

The establishment, which had been known as a haven for coffee aficionados and health smoothie enthusiasts, took a dramatic turn after the previous café struggled financially and ceased operations. Eager to reinvent the space, the Infusion Social Club entered into a lease agreement with CBIT, which controls the commercial building where the club was located.

Things took a sour turn when other tenants and a group of concerned residents raised an alarm over the observance that illegal activities were occurring within the social club's premises. These activities primarily involved the selling of cannabis products to the public, including minors, an action that put the building's reputation and tenant retention at risk.

Court documents revealed the scope of the issue, highlighting that the defendants had not disclosed their intentions to sell cannabis-infused products and permit on-site cannabis smoking during lease agreement negotiations. Local residents, fearing for the building's safety and the wellbeing of minors, strongly opposed the club's operations.

Upon investigation, the CBIT held a meeting with a representative of the Infusion Social Club, who acknowledged the sale of cannabis from the premises and admitted that the food served would contain cannabis infusions, such as the psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

With this admittance, CBIT swiftly terminated the lease agreement, citing non-disclosure and the business model's misfit for the premises. The boarding-up followed consistent complaints about disruptions, including smoke from cannabis, which permeated the building, disturbing both tenants and residents. The social club also purportedly allowed smoking in violation of relevant subordinate legislation and made unauthorized branding changes featuring a cannabis leaf.

Presiding Judge Wille concluded that CBIT was justified in its eviction actions, as the trust had been misled by the social club's business plan and would have not entered into a lease agreement, knowing the true nature of the club's operations.

With this eviction, the Infusion Social Club's tenure in Camps Bay came to an abrupt end, sending a clear message to the business community: transparency is key, and the community's safety and legal compliance come first.