POLOKWANE – Residents from the area around the Polokwane Cricket Fields are unhappy about the noise disturbance as well as the state in which the area around the venue for as far as Biccard Street has been left after the ‘One Woman Show’ that was hosted last Saturday.

The noise continued until the early hours of Sunday in an area where more than one retirement home where very frail persons are cared for, and the streets were obstructed by broken bottles and other waste, creating a dangerous situation for pedestrians and passing traffic.

DA ward councillor in the municipality, Mariëtte Pretorius said she was inundated with complaints from residents, even from blocks away. “Complaints were lodged with the responsible officials, but it became clear that they just turned a blind eye,” Pretorius said.

“I fail to understand how the municipality can allow such a situation to happen every time there is an event at this venue. Don’t they learn from previous experience or they just have no regard for residents’ rights to a peaceful environment,” an aggravated neighbour asked. Commenting on the issue, municipal spokesperson Thipa Selala said that the event in question was processed and approved through the Joint Operations Committee (JOC), which is responsible for assessing and authorising of large public gatherings in line with the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act (Sasrea) and other applicable municipal by-laws.

You might also want to read: Alternative ways to report noise pollution

“In terms of the Polokwane Local Municipality Noise Control By-Law, any event that continues beyond normal permitted hours is required to apply for a noise exemption permit. For this particular event, an exemption was granted in accordance with Section 14(3)(a) of the by-law, allowing operations beyond midnight under controlled conditions. Noise levels are monitored, and the permissible threshold may not exceed 95 dBA, as stipulated under Section 10(1) of the same by-law,” Selala said and added that the municipality regrets the inconvenience caused to nearby residents, particularly given the presence of retirement facilities in the area, and has noted the feedback to strengthen future enforcement and compliance measures.

You might also want to read: Residents tackle noise pollution in city on Facebook

“Regarding post-event conditions, the organisers are required to pay a compliance and damage deposit prior to hosting the event. The costs of cleaning and restoration are the responsibility of the event organisers, and the deposit is forfeited should they fail to comply with these obligations. The municipality’s waste management unit also oversees final clean-up operations to ensure the area is fully restored to acceptable standards,” Selala concluded.