The explosive issue of fireworks continues to light up the Dolphin Coast seascape as a group of Ballito and Salt Rock residents have come together to make their anti-fireworks stance known.
Started just over a year ago with the creation of a Facebook page, the ‘Keep the Dolphin Coast a Fireworks-Free Zone’ campaign is well underway.
According to Ballito resident and campaign member, Debbie Spinner, the community first rallied together during the festive season last year to monitor, and where possible, prevent visitors to the town from releasing fireworks outside of the designated time period, as laid out in KwaDukuza’s municipal bylaws.
The bylaws, as they currently stand, state that the discharge of fireworks within the municipal area is unlawful, with the exception of the days of November 5, January 1 and the seven days of the Deepavali Festival.
This means that on all remaining 356 days of the year, the use of fireworks is totally prohibited, unless express permission has been obtained from the municipality 21 days before the date of intended use.
Those involved in the campaign to ban the use of fireworks once and for all, feel that not enough people understand these bylaws and that the illegal use of fireworks is widespread.
“Last year, we worked in area zones with support from local security companies to assist us in making visitors aware that the release of fireworks will not be tolerated in our community,” said Spinner, who together with a group of other frustrated residents, is hoping for a total ban on the pretty explosives for a number of health, social and environmental reasons.
“The damage to the environment and wildlife as well as the distress to the aged, the impaired, the young and our pets is reason enough to want them banned,” she said.
KwaDukuza municipality beach manager, Steve Honeysett said there are signs on all our beaches which inform people which activities are forbidden according to the municipal bylaws, with fireworks being one of them.
“The problem is that the ‘no-fireworks’ emblem that we use is very small and many do not pay attention to it. It is lost among the cluster of others,” said Honeysett, who approved the request to create greater visibility of the laws relating to fireworks by erecting new, larger signs.
It is widely understood that fireworks raise a number of sensitive concerns, especially those regarding the trauma they cause to household pets such as dogs and cats, which are routinely frightened by the loud noise of exploding fireworks.
Honeysett said the signs would be made at a cost to the residents.
Spinner said her group does not believe the letting off of fireworks will completely stop as a result of their campaign, but their mission is to radically reduce fireworks activity this festive season.
“We aim to be more prepared this year with more visual signage and posters in public places, which is why we approached the municipality for their support,” said Spinner.
She said they are seeking a sponsor to cover the expense of the new signs, and are hopeful that the campaign will gain the traction it needs in the months ahead.
