Neighbours reject noisy ‘home industry’

A LOCAL entertainment company operating a large, noisy business in a quiet Arboretum residential area, has neighbours up in arms and accusing the municipality of ignoring urgent pleas to enforce nuisance bylaws and order its service provider to move.

Frustrations boiled over after numerous official complaints lodged against Vinyl Entertainment with the City’s Nuisance and Town Planning Departments and ward councillor, culminating in an application for Protection Against Harassment Order at the Empangeni District Court.

According to the applicant, next-door neighbour Mark Griesel, even the court’s warning to a Vinyl representative was blatantly ignored.

‘Vinyl Entertainment has no business license to operate from 44 Via Richardia, where they have been for two years.

‘Despite bitter complaints and a verbal court warning to stop operations, the company has applied for special municipal consent to operate a home industry, which was advertised in the Zululand Observer‘s ‘Classified’ section of 29 February.

‘I don’t understand how Vinyl Entertainment is awarded sizable tender contracts from the City and private sector, while officials must ensure service providers are legally compliant.

‘Other business owners in the same industry are at disadvantage because they pay full industrial rates and taxes.

‘Surely the City must audit all service providers annually?

Night noise

‘Vinyl Entertainment’s working hours range from 2am to 11pm, seven days a week, including public holidays.

‘I’ve recorded measurements up to 85,53 decibels in my bedroom on dbSoundsMeter.

‘A person must wear permanent ear protection in terms of industrial safety law requirements when exposed to this type of industrial noise.

‘How does one bear this noise level in your own residence?

‘We in fact have surrounding neighbours more than 80 metres far complaining of the excessive noise.

‘Our privacy is violated daily. Workers are looking into our property, while off-loading trucks with elevated ramps.

‘My wife and daughter feel uncomfortable spending relaxation time in our backyard as a result.

‘Vinyl Entertainment also park their trucks and other vehicles on the pavement outside their property. I’ve counted up to eight vehicles and trucks blocking free pedestrian movement.

‘They park on vacant recreational municipal land where they unpack and wash equipment.

‘Their representative told the court they’ re moving to Alton, but they just carry on.’

The Zululand Observer has been inundated with similar complaints from neighbouring properties over a long period.

Cebo Gama of Vinyl Entertainment was unavailable for comment at the time of going to print.