Sparks fly over firework meetings

COMMUNITY members labelled the second public meeting to discuss the amendment of the Hibiscus Coast Municipality (HCM) firework by-laws as ‘flawed’ on Tuesday this week.

The two consulting meetings were recently held due to the Fireworks By-laws of HCM being amended to be in accordance with the Explosives Act, 2003 (Act 15 of 2003).

The Hibiscus Coast wants to enforce the existing law and introduce fines which its law enforcement officers will be able to impose.

At the last meeting held on February 14, Selwyn Naidoo, chief of the fire, rescue and disaster department, said the only fireworks allowed to be discharged or stocked are ‘consumer fireworks’.

Religious celebrants, firework sellers and importers, activists and members of the public expressed their outrage against the public meetings not being transparent.

From the table, members of the community said those who attended the meeting did not represent the entire community due to the time of day it was held. They also said the entire community had not been properly notified.

Those in attendance called for the meeting to be stopped and declared the entire process to be flawed, while others questioned why representatives of the explosive unit and the necessary role players were not present. They also called for a copy of the Explosives Act to be distributed to the public and for better consultation. Views were also raised about the ‘firework free zone’ signboards erected in some suburbs and some called for them to be taken down. “Council is creating religious conflict,” someone said.

“Do the authorities have the right to dictate to us about our religious practices? We should be free to practise our religion,” said someone else.

Mr Naidoo said there had been an omission of the clause referring to class 1.4G fireworks. He said they were basically updating the by-laws to be in accordance with the act.

The consumer fireworks are going to include class 1.4G in addition to fireworks previously mentioned. This means that all fireworks previously used (legal fireworks) will be allowed.

Senior ANC activist, Selvan Chetty said the whole process was flawed and called for council to go back to the drawing board.

“We are asking the municipality to follow due process and for a public meeting to be carried out with all stakeholders, interested and affected parties.”

He called for all religions and cultures to be respected and for everyone to work together to find a solution.