With festive season celebrations coming up, some people are unsure what the law says when it comes to the use of fireworks.
After the Diwali celebrations, many people took to social media to complain about the use of fireworks. With more celebrations coming up in the next two months, it is better to familiarise yourself with city’s bylaws to avoid being fined.
EMPD spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wilfred Kgasago urged the public to be aware of what the bylaws say with regards to the use of fireworks.
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Fireworks – What the public must know:
Ekurhuleni residents and businesses are advised to heed bylaws pertaining to the sale and use of fireworks as we head into the festive season.
The EMPD will be on the lookout for any illegal operations, including selling or operating such dangerous goods without the necessary permission.
Business owners who wish to sell fireworks are required to apply for a licence at the SAPS’s Explosives Unit. The application must also be sent to the Metro’s EMS and EMPD. Residents who wish to use fireworks must also apply at the relevant EMPD Precinct Station for permission.
This is to ensure that fireworks are used in a safe manner and will not constitute a fire hazard.
Businesses selling fireworks without a certificate of registration will receive a spot fine of R2 500, with an additional fine for any other fire safety violations found. People using fireworks without approval can also receive a spot fine of between R1 000 and R2 500.
Furthermore, businesses are warned against illegally advertising fireworks on traffic signs and pavements, including deploying people at intersections and pavements to illegally sell these fireworks.
There is a bylaw in place that addresses the setting off of fireworks in a residential area.
For ease of reference, Section 42 under the heading “Disturbance of the peace” of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality Police Services Bylaws, promulgated in Provincial Gazette 39, Notice 208 prescribes as follows:
No person shall discharge fireworks without the prior written consent of the Council, and such consent shall hereafter be called a “Fireworks Permit”. Such “Firework Permit” will be readily available at the event and produced on request by an authorised officer. Any person failing to do so shall be guilty of an offence.
