‘Make Durban North big bang-free’
Local resident says it's important to distinguish between fireworks and firecrackers.
A DURBAN North resident has taken to Facebook to propose making the area a ‘bang-free zone’. Adelaide Thambo resident, Pete Graham, says he is concerned for not just his pets, but other residents’ pets, not only as the festival of Diwali approaches but also for Christmas and New Year as well. He has proposed patrols in areas around the north to report people who break by-laws.
The 44-year-old patrolled part of his neigbourhood last week for Guy Fawkes and said he was amazed by the response of residents in the area, who seemed to heed his call.
“In the past I’ve heard of some dreadful experiences for residents and pet-owners with the excessive loud bangs and I thought, using the Durban North Neighbours Facebook page, trying to encourage a ‘bang-free’ zone. Apart from being against the by-laws of the city, it is downright rude and disrespectful to disrupt the peace of the neighbourhood.
“Of course, the terror that our furry family members have to go through makes this a very personal attack on our civil rights. While we won’t achieve overnight success, this can be the start of the drive to improve the lives of both our two- and four-legged friends in our area,” he said.
Graham added he was not advocating approaching people in a confrontational way but rather raising awareness, and failing that to report the offenders to the relevant authorities.
He also informed Northglen News that it was important to differentiate between fireworks and firecrackers.
“Fireworks are of a pyrotechnical nature and classed as low hazard, such as fountains, pin wheels and sparklers, while fire crackers are devices that have fuses and are used solely for noise generation and not their pyrotechnical effects. There are also ‘nuisance fireworks’, which means a firework product that produces an effect involving a screech or noise, or is being altered or misused and has the effect of creating fear or a disturbance to residents,” he explained.
“I must stress that I have seen many firework displays and they are lovely and people enjoy watching them. The use of fireworks for cultural and religious celebrations is to be embraced and encouraged. We as the residents of Durban North and Durban can create this dream of a bang-free zone. We need to report people to relevant authorities and, without getting confrontational, educate others about what loud bangs do to animals,” he said.
