HUNDREDS of residents have pledged their support for a ‘Ban the Bag’ protest demonstration set to take place on Saturday, 3 February.
This comes after several residents took to social media to vent their frustrations at the lack of by-law enforcement with regards to fireworks being let off outside the designated time on New Year’s eve.
While the City issued a statement saying fireworks could only be set off from 11.45pm on December 31 until 12.15am on New Year’s Day, several people ignored the designated times and according to some residents, carried on until way after 2pm.
Now, the ‘Ban the Bang’ petition has been revived by animal activists in the hopes of bringing to an end the sale and letting off of big bang fireworks in KZN.
The demonstration is being spearheaded by Judy van der Westhuizen and several north Durban residents.
Read also: Dog chews through kennel to escape fireworks in Redhill
Andrea Ording-Jespersen, one of the members of the Facebook group and an animal activist said while the petition wasn’t new, they were continuing their fight to ban the sale and use of ‘loud bangs’ – also known as nuisance fireworks.
“We are not ‘party-poopers’, but we want the eliminate the nuisance fireworks that causes distress to children, the elderly, people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorders, people with autism and animals. We want to have as many signatures as possible on the petition in order to facilitate change at a municipal level,” she said.
A copy of the petition is available on the ‘Ban the Bang KZN’ Facebook group page.
The ‘Ban the Bang’ demonstration takes place on Saturday, 3 February at 9.30am at Suncoast Pirates Surf Lifesaving Club. There will be anti-firework banners and short speeches from prominent personalities – a short march for approximately 1 km displaying banners and solidarity.
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