Uvongo residents’ noise complaints fall on deaf ears – again
Paul Nel and Martine Blackler who live across the KwaMasinenge informal settlement say no-one is helping them.
“We have had enough,” say Uvongo residents and business owners of the loud music emanating from KwaMasinenge informal settlement.
Residents who live across the settlement, Paul Nel and Martine Blackler, say this has become a recurring issue and no one is helping them.
In May 2024, the Herald reported on the same matter and at the time the spokesperson for Ray Nkonyeni Municipality, Simon April, said that an investigation showed that there have been joint operations by law enforcement agencies to attend to such activities in KwaMasinenge.
Residents say till date they are still facing the same problem.
Blackler says that after an operation, the owners of the shebeens and taverns pay a fine and in 24 hours they get back to business as usual.
After numerous emails, phone calls and meetings, nothing has solved the problem.
Blackler adds that the municipal bylaws should be implemented, but in this case they feel that the municipality has let them down.
Nel says that from Friday afternoon till Monday, they can hear loud music and this makes it difficult for them to have peace and quiet in their own homes.
They also mentioned that businesses around the area such as guesthouses have been affected, and crime has increased that they have had to beef up their security.
Nel says that they have had no streets lights for at least five years because cables are being stolen.
“If it’s not the potholes on our road, it’s cable theft and if not that, it is the loud music from KwaMasinenge. We have tried everything to get help, but it has fallen on deaf ears.”
The municipality was contacted for comment, but none was received at the time of going to press.
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