Religious groups using Morninghill Koppie for worship have become the focus of complaints from residents over alleged noise disturbances, littering, illegal dumping, ritual slaughter and fires, prompting renewed calls for the City of Ekurhuleni to install signs setting out the rules for the area.

Ward 20 councillor Jill Humphreys has repeatedly asked the City to erect signs at the koppie since October 2025, arguing that religious and cultural practices should not come at the expense of residents’ rights or the area’s biodiversity, reports Bedfordview Edenvale News.

The city has confirmed that signs could be installed in the next financial year. However, previous signs intended to warn visitors against activities that threaten the environment have been stolen on several occasions.

City spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said alternative materials would have to be considered to discourage further theft and vandalism.

Morninghill Koppie is situated behind Gillooly’s Farm and the Jukskei River system in Bedfordview.

Fires raise safety concerns

Humphreys reported on August 12 that a fire had swept across the mountain the previous weekend, raising concerns about the difficulty of reaching parts of the koppie and the proximity of the flames to residential properties.

“Our Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) firefighters are unable to get to the top of the mountain where the fires, it would seem, are deliberately being set. Our DEMS firefighters do their best to protect the residents as the fire burns closer to residential dwellings.

“On the Senderwood side of the mountain, it is virtually impossible for the firefighters to access the area behind the houses where the fires blaze extremely close to residential properties. We simply have to find mitigation to manage this,” said Humphreys.

On August 26, she reported another fire and renewed her call for signs clearly setting out the rules for protecting the area and respecting residents’ rights.

Her proposed signage includes warnings against lighting fires, excessive noise such as shouting, screaming and banging instruments, illegal structures, littering, damage to vegetation, killing animals and birds and illegal parking.

She also requested that the signs be displayed in at least three languages: English, isiZulu and Sesotho.

City considers alternative signage

Dlamini said the signs could be erected in the next financial year, but alternative materials would have to be considered to discourage theft and vandalism.

He added that assessments had been conducted at the koppie to establish the state of its biodiversity. Alien invasive vegetation had been identified, and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment had been asked to clear it once its procurement process for appointing a contractor had been finalised.

Humphreys said she recognised everyone’s right to practise their religion and culture, but stressed that these activities should not infringe on the rights of residents, ratepayers or the environment.

Dlamini said the city supported people’s right to practise their religious beliefs and culture.

“However, these need to be in line with national legislation that protects and promotes biodiversity. Contraventions need to be reported so that the competent authorities can take the necessary steps and corrective measures against perpetrators,” he said.

DEMS district manager for media liaison William Ntladi said the department attended to four grass fires along the Morninghill mountainside between January and October 2026.

Two fires occurred on the mountain itself, on June 16 and July 25. The other two were reported near the river and on open land within the residential area, on August 10 and September 14.