RESIDENTS of uMhlanga Ridge say their once-quiet neighbourhood has been disrupted by persistent noise from staff working at nearby international contact centres — particularly during late-night shift changes.

Ward 35 councillor Bradley Singh confirmed he has received “numerous complaints” from residents who claim the loud talking, laughing and shouting from groups of call-centre employees moving to and from their transport has become a nightly disturbance.

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“One resident said the noise has affected sleep patterns, reduced overall quality of life and even impacted property value. Another said the noise is unbearable, and while some contact centres have security who reprimand staff when they get too rowdy, others don’t seem to care,” said Singh.

One resident said his property has been on the market for years but with no success because there are now contact centres surrounding it. “This was a residential area long before these centres arrived,” he added.

Singh said the situation has escalated to the point where intervention is urgently required.

“Residential areas are designated for peaceful living, and the current excessive noise levels are unacceptable. While I have met with the Metro Police to demand stricter enforcement of municipal by-laws, resident participation is vital,” he said.

He urged residents to log every disturbance with the Metro Police on 031 361 0000, noting that higher complaint volumes create the official record needed to hold authorities accountable.

“Increasing the number of logged complaints forces a permanent reduction in noise levels,” Singh added.

Metro Police respond

Spokesperson for Durban Metro Police, Superintendent Boysie Zungu, confirmed a noise complaint had been escalated by uMhlanga Ridge Management.

Zungu said officers were dispatched and found the noise was not caused by music or any major disturbance.

“It was found that the noise was from call centre staff talking outside during their break time. The noise level was normal,” he said.

He added that the North Region Management has agreed to increase patrols between 01:00 and 03:00.

“During these early hours, Durban Metro Police intensify blue light patrols and stop-and-search operations to curb crime, as there have been crime complaints in the area. For this reason, vehicles cannot be placed on static duty. However, we will continue with periodic patrols in the area concerned,” Zungu said.

Both the eThekwini Municipality and uMhlanga Ridge Management were approached for comment but did not respond at the time of publishing.

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