EDITOR – Regarding the letter of Christy Esterhuyse on fireworks in ‘Nature-Lovers Paradise’, please allow me to respond.
Yellowwood Park is by and large a nature area that encompasses the Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve, the Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife (Crow) and the Umhlatuzana River, and as such, is a protected area despite what some residents want to believe.
The law states very clearly that no fireworks may be ignited within 500 metres of a nature reserve, animal sanctuary, public space, school, old age home or hospital. Residents not complying with the law concerning noise control can be fined R500 and businesses R1,000.
As a previous member of the Yellowwood Park Ratepayers, conservancy and CPF, I made a very large, detailed map and submitted it to Gavin Hegter, chairman of Montclair CPF, with the purpose of showing it to the Montclair police with regards to the area that is a ‘fireworks-free zone’. To date, I have never had any feedback or response from Mr Hegter or the SAP.
Yellowwood Dump is the only place in South Africa where you can set off fireworks, make a noise, disturb and cut down indigenous trees around a nature reserve. Here you can drink in public at all hours, litter, urinate and have weddings in an open park next to the civic centre with noise blaring throughout the day.