Party noise and illegal road damage
Damage to an Empangeni road to install an electrical cable supplying power to a private party has residents up in arms.
EMPANGENI residents are outraged about the damage to a public road made when an illegal electrical connection was installed to provide power to a tent, set up for a social gathering.
According to a disgruntled resident, who asked not to be named in fear of victimisation, a tent was erected in the park in Starling Crescent and an electrical cable was run across the road after a section of the tar was removed to accommodate it.
‘The tent was set-up in Sterling Crescent over the weekend for a social gathering and the partying and noise carried on well into the early hours of the morning,’ the resident said.
‘That was bad enough since none of us had been warned about the event, but when I saw the damage done to the road and noticed the cable, I was stunned.’
While the tent was being erected, it was reported that people had removed a section of the road to lay the power cable from a residential property across the road to the tent.
According to a reliable municipal source, neither the Road Works Department or the Electricity Department were aware of any construction or the laying of electrical cables.
‘We, the municipality, have inspected the problem and there seems to be little damage to the road although sand has been placed there to hide the cable.
‘However, due to the fact that the municipality was not informed, and if this has been done without our consent, then it has been done so illegally. If this is the case, then the perpetrator will be held responsible for the damage and the cost to repair it,’ said the source.
Complaints were also received that cars were parked on pavements damaging lawns and gardens, alcohol was being consumed in public areas and the behaviour of the party-goers was loud and obnoxious.
‘The road and park was strewn with empty alcohol bottles and cans and a live band played until the early hours of the morning. Nobody cleaned up the following day and then I saw them placing sand over the cable to fill the gap and hide it.’ said the resident.
Ward 23 Councilor, Andre de Lange told the Zululand Observer that he had been made aware of the incident and had asked the municipality to investigate.
