Glen Eagle Estate residents complain of noise from Tiger’s Milk

Several Glen Eagle Estate residents said their once-peaceful neighbourhood is gone.

They claim that since Tiger’s Milk opened in October 2022, the restaurant has consistently played music that exceeds the legal decibel level.

The residents also said they reached a stalemate with manager Bryan Jeftha, whom they claim is arrogant and does not take their complaints seriously.

One such resident is Suretha Esterhuysen, who told the Kempton Express that the noise sometimes continues until 02:00.

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“It makes it impossible for us to get a good night’s rest in our houses every weekend,” she said.

She added that residents asked Ward Clr Jaco Terblanche for help, and he agreed to assist, even though the establishment is not his ward.

Terblanche took up the fight with residents in November 2022.

Esterhuysen questioned why the management at Tiger’s Milk did not consider the community.

“All we, as residents, ask for is that the restaurant adhere to the residential by-laws for noise levels,” she said.

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She said along with the excessive noise, residents also have to deal with “the screaming of patrons”.

“When we complained the first time, the management promised not to play loud music, but did not stick to their promise.”

Other Glen Eagle residents are worried about the safety of road users.

Some claim Tiger’s Milk patrons spin their cars after leaving the establishment, and they fear it is only a matter of time before a drunk patron crashes into the estate wall.

Nonkululeko Khoza said she and others were happy when it was announced that Harvest Place would open.

“Many of my favourite restaurants were planned for the centre. But since Tigers Milk opened, we have not had one peaceful night’s sleep in our homes,” she said.

Khoza said she tried to reason with the manager when her daughter studied for matric exams last year.

Despite her pleas, the situation did not change. She said the noise levels worsened by the week.

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Residents who spoke to the Kempton Express said they had reported the situation to the CoE several times.

They said that when the city did send representatives, there was no noise during the day.

Several residents fear the continued excessive noise will devalue their properties.

Martie Smit said the noise levels are disruptive. “At one point, the noise from Tiger’s Milk became so loud during their quiz night that we resorted to phoning them to answer the quiz questions, hoping they would realise they were too loud,” she said.

“We have resorted to wearing our AirPods at night because watching TV normally has become impossible.”

Residents said while they want Tiger’s Milk to thrive as a business, it should not be at the expense of their peace.

“At times, the noise levels are so loud that we cannot have conversations in our homes,” said Justine Jordaan.

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Some residents, who met with the Kempton Express, suggested soundproof windows and extra security outside the venue to ensure patrons do not fight or spin their cars when they leave.

The Kempton Express contacted Tiger’s Milk manager Bryan Jeftha for comment.

“The Harvest Place management approached Tiger’s Milk to open a franchise at the centre after doing their due diligence as to what Tiger’s Milk is all about. We did not force ourselves into the community,” he said.

He said Glen Eagle Estate residents ambushed him.

“They screamed at me as if I was a child instead of sitting down and reasoning with me. I acknowledged that we played loud music but then, told the residents we would make some changes, which we did.”

He said the outside area was enclosed, which had helped reduce the noise.

Jeftha said he uses his decibel reader, and the ambient sounds around the area would normally read anywhere between 55 and 65 decibels..

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“We have an airport nearby, so the ambient sound will go up and down when planes fly over. It would seem like we are over the legal decibel number, but that is not the case. As an establishment, we try our best not to exceed 55 decibels,” he said.

“It is not like we are not doing anything as an establishment. We monitor ourselves and try our best not to aggravate the community.

“Yes, we have DJs because it’s our business. We’re a restaurant with a bar and have to stay relevant with the demands of our customers.”

Jeftha said he invited the complainants from Glen Eagle Estate to the establishment.

“We have plenty of customers from the estate who come and enjoy what the establishment offers. I have a friend who lives in the estate. He calls me if the music is too loud, and I turn it down. It has never reached a point where he tells me it is unbearable.

“I sometimes do the decibel readings myself by standing next to the estate wall, and I always find the noise is not that loud. Yes, you can hear it, but it is not intrusive,” Jeftha added.

Jeftha said Terblanche visited him to warn him about the noise Tiger’s Milk made, even though it is not in his ward.

He added that a HoD from Town Planning in the CoE told him he was not breaking any laws.

“We have the correct licenses to operate and are well within the confines of what is legal.”

Terblanche denied warning Jeftha, adding that he ‘only looked into the matter with councillor Desmond McKenzie’.

“The community petitioned the municipality to resolve the complaint, and the Environmental Health Department allocated an inspector to investigate it.”

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He said an inspector went out twice and found there was no noise being made.

Terblanche said the latest feedback he received from the precinct commander said the night shift members went to Tiger’s Milk on several occasions, but according to them, the noise was not that loud.

“However, they did not have the equipment to measure it.”

The Kempton Express sent a request for comment to the CoE on March 1, requesting it by March 4.

On March 19 at the time of going to print, we had received no comment.