Curries Fountain weekend noise rattles community

RESIDENTS living in Berea and as far as Glenwood were kept awake on 22 and 23 May by a church event held at Curries Fountain.

According to residents, in spite of repeated requests to Metro Police, attempts to get the volume lowered on the loudspeakers and deal with the noise pollution failed. One resident said many events had been held at the stadium at Curries Fountain over the years, but this weekend’s prayer vigil was the worst event held.

“Maniacal preachers screamed at the stadium and the entire local neighbourhood all night long, peppered with the various wailing screams of people, or rather, presumably the demons being ‘delivered’ out of them,” he said.

He said such events should be in an enclosed arena but requests for them to held in such venues were ignored at every level.

“Why do thousands of us have to be woken up repeatedly all night long by this disturbing show? And on the second lovely evening of being unable to hear the TV, and feeling one’s sanity being challenged, after a long week at work we residents have a right to our sleep, to spend peaceful evenings in our homes,” he said.

The resident has lived in lower Musgrave for eight years. He said several years ago a few residents representing several buildings over a few streets in the area finally managed to engage the municipality to try set parameters for the use of Curries Fountain by private events, since loud events frequently ran all day and then all night too, with sound levels unbelievably higher than they needed to be.

“For a while we were notified, but that was the extent, complaints were ignored, controls have not been put in place. We have tried to engage again without success. I have no problem with the stadium being used for a variety of events in a responsible manner, but this assumes the need to have limits in place that respect the human rights of the neighbourhood, and the rights of local ratepayers over visiting events and their attendees. The issue is the municipality not doing its job of acting in the interest of its citizens,” he said.

Resident, Ahmed Khan, who lives in Botanic Gardens Road, said the church had the sound system so loud that his whole flat was vibrating.

“The priest was screaming on the top of his voice. This all started on Thursday at 5pm,” he said.

He said he went to Curries Fountain at 2.30am, and was greeted by guards outside the event. He said he tried to speak to them but was ignored.

“I went to Berea Police Station and spoke to them. I was told they had a lot of complains about the noise and the police had been there and requested the church people lower the volume, however they refused as they had permission to use the venue. The police were told they were to leave as they were disturbing their prayers. I agree that the church people have the right to use the premises but they did not consider the disturbance they were causing to the public,” he said.

Another concerned resident said she questioned who would give permission to hold the event at this venue, which is surrounded by residential apartments from all sides.

“Is creating disturbing noise not an offence? Why did the authorities not check the opening and closing timings of this event, and who allowed the event organisers to start their loud and howling order of events at 8pm on a weekend and carry it on till late hours of the night? Why did the police or local authorities not keep the extreme noise levels under check?” she said.

The resident said this was not the first time that an event of this nature has been held at this premises.

Resident Charlotte Mbali, said: “In this era of electronic amplification, the by-law needs to state that more than 80 decibels for more than two minutes is noise pollution, and Metro Police should be equipped with a measuring gadget, and a sliding scale of fines – the more decibels, and longer lasting, the heavier the fine. That should catch the boom-boom taxis too. Loud noise harms health. The Constitution lists noise pollution as one of the issues for local or provincial legislation. I encourage residents to ask their councillor to support stronger noise pollution by-laws and enforcement,” she said.

Comment from the eThekwini Municipality and Metro Police is forthcoming.