PHILLIP LABUSCHAGNE of Birchleigh writes:
Hi, it’s with interest that I read the letter from Ben Keyser about the noise problems he’s experiencing and the response from the metro.
We have a similar problem in Koedoe Avenue, Birchleigh whereby once a month our neighbour and his friends set up massive speakers and subwoofers in their front garden with a portable toilet, chairs and the rest.
The party usually starts around mid day on a Sunday and runs into the early hours of the Monday morning. Extremely load jazz music is played by a live band and comments and speeches are made over a microphone through these huge speakers. Party goers use alcohol and get quite rowdy.
Now, we’ve had this problem since April last year and I have called Norkem Park SAPS on hourly intervals on every occasion and only once did they actually attend to the complaint and succeeded in stopping the noise.
On all other occasions they either did not attend to the complaints or simply requested the culprits to turn the volume down (which just didn’t happen). This is simply unacceptable but we’re also left with our hands in our hair.
In July last year I turned to the local DA councillor (Joey Roos) and she promised to take the matter up with the relevant authorities. In September I got a mail from Joey, saying the matter was being attended to. It appears that to date exactly nothing has been done (despite the undertakings by the DA), which still leaves us with this problem.
On December 15 another party started next door and it eventually ended at 1.30am on Monday morning. I called Norkem Park SAPS on hourly intervals from 9pm and was told they had only one patrol vehicle and that the members were attending to other matters of a more serious nature.
I also tried calling the metro police but every time the phone just rang for a few seconds and then went dead.
We have lived in Birchleigh for close to 40 years and as law abiding citizens believe we are entitled to have some peace and quiet, especially on Sundays and after 9pm on other days.
I don’t know who to turn to for assistance and by requesting Kempton Express to publish my letter, I appeal to the metro to assist and attend to the matter urgently.
