Fireworks offenders fined

Fed up Ballito residents stood together to stop illegal fireworks being let off over the festive season, resulting in numerous fines being dished out to offenders.

Founder of the Illegal Dolphin Coast Fireworks Facebook page, Warren du Plessis said the response to the group’s request for assistance through the Courier (‘Locals say no to fireworks in Ballito’, December 23), was fantastic.

“The community has been super – reporting excessive noisy fireworks and actively going to the homes where the fireworks were let off. Security companies VIVA and IPSS helped the residents and SAPS assisted when possible,” said Du Plessis.

When residents heard loud fireworks being let off on Sunday, December 28, they took action, asserting the KwaDukuza bylaws stating that fireworks are illegal, except for the stipulated time between 11.45pm on December 31 of each year until 12.15am of the new year.

When they found the house in David Place, lower Ballito, the concerned and angry locals parked their cars in the street outside the noise polluter’s house and refused to leave until the police arrived.

SAPS escorted the offenders to the police station, where they were fined.

“When SAPS arrived, they handled the situation brilliantly and despite being very busy this time of the year, they stood by the community.

No further fines have been issued, but offenders have been warned. Futhermore, fireworks were confiscated from illegal vendors on the beach,” said Du Plessis.

Although this work is praiseworthy, many people still ignored the KwaDukuza bylaws and the New Year period was a nightmare for many locals and pet owners.

Also, it seems that the fines were not high enough, as the home owners fined at David Place apparently carried on letting off fireworks outside of the designated time.

“The fireworks were relentless from about 7pm to 9.30pm on New Year’s Day,” said Cheryl Herda.

Salt Rock residents suffered a similar situation, as fireworks were set off from about 9.30pm to well past midnight on New Year’s Eve.

The Gore family from Salt Rock found a tailfin section attached to a rocket in their driveway behind their son’s car on January 1.

“I shudder to think of the damage that could have been done, if the rocket had connected with someone or something on the beach,” said Dawn Gore.

But Du Plessis is adamant they will not rest until they have a firework-free KDM.

“We are engaging with local authorities, plan to run radio campaigns and we are working with KDM to get fireworks banned completely,” he said.

If you would like to get actively involved, take a look at the Illegal Dolphin Coast Fireworks Facebook page to see what has been done.