Dundee enters the festive spirit and the parties boom, residents up in arms

The festive season started in earnest in Dundee on Friday as the long weekend heralded a time for non-stop parties. By 6pm on Friday, residents near Coronation Park had already had enough and calls were made to the Courier, the police and the traffic police as residents described ‘loud music booming through their homes’ and ‘scores of people openly drinking and making fires (contrary to the notice in the park)’ while one resident, who declined to be named, said he had ‘seen at least two couples having sex’.

“There were at least 40 cars there at one stage. Calls to the police are useless as they simply won’t take action. They are tired of us calling them about this complaint.  They say there are no by-laws. The traffic police do not come out after hours so us, as ratepayers, are not left to fend for ourselves. But what can we do? Pay for private security companies to move out these drunken parties?”, said another resident who called the Courier on Saturday morning.

Residents said, oblivious to the mess made by the previous revellers, more parties moved in on Saturday and Sunday and the results were pretty much the same.

On Monday morning (today), those collecting waste were up early to clean up the debris –  mostly liquor boxes and bottles and fast food containers – left behind. One resident, upon observing the mess, said the residents would in future be taking the issue into their own hands. However, he refused to elaborate further.

The Magistrate’s Court in Dundee has long insisted that the bylaws, controlling public disturbances, noise and littering and drinking in public, have been promulgated and all that needs to be done is to be enforced. The question appears to be who does that enforcement?

HAVE YOUR SAY:
Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram or email us at dundee.courier@caxton.co.za.  Add us on WhatsApp 071 277 1394.