Ex-cons Kenny Kunene and Gayton Mckenzie are well-known faces in the entertainment industry and their previous ventures include the famous ZAR Lounge, which attracted celebrities from across the globe and was touted as being one of the most expensive clubs in the country.
The ZAR empire collapsed in 2012 but was revived in 2015 with the opening of a new restaurant and lifestyle centre called Rivonia On Deck. It offers its clients a host of facilities and experiences, including a hair salon, VIP lounge and even a kiddies playroom.
The new establishment, which is located on the corner of Rivonia and Winter roads, has been a success story for business partners Mckenzie and Kunene but has become a nagging thorn in the sides of local residents who have lodged multiple noise complaints.
Read: Rollegoli causes noise disruption
A resident who wants to remain anonymous said, “The entire Edenburg residential area has been subject to nothing short of ‘hell’ since 24 November 2015, the day Rivonia on Deck opened in a facility not zoned for a ‘place of entertainment’. The noise emanating from this facility has, with very few exceptions, carried on non-stop from Thursday nights through to Sunday nights, operating well into the early hours of the morning.”
The resident added that a meeting initiated by the residents took place with Kunene and McKenzie on 30 November last year to see if common ground could be reached. Commitments were made by the tenants to reduce the noise, which never materialised.
“We have a petition which was signed by the residents in December which was submitted to the authorities.”
Ex-convict-turned-motivational speaker McKenzie notes that he is aware of the noise complaints. “We have received more than one complaint from the residents, so we have taken steps to reduce noise as much as possible. We have taken down our big speakers outside, we are busy covering the deck, and we are moving some of our speakers to face inward towards the venue.”
Read: Sunninghill can’t stand the noise
He added that he was sensitive to the complaints but also had a problem with residents. “We have taken major steps to reduce noise levels and have made peace with the community, but I am very aggrieved with one thing myself, crime is such a big problem in our country. People in the townships struggle to get a police van to a crime scene, while the residents of Sandton are spoiled and selfish. They send a police van around here every three minutes.”
Police declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.
Details: rivoniaondeck.co.za
Read: ‘We can’t stand the noise’
