Durban is preparing for Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights which celebrates the triumph of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. File pic.
DIWALI is still a few days away but the festival of lights has already caused sparks among Umhlanga residents.
Yesterday it emerged that the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks board has granted permission to a company to sell fireworks from its premises.
DA MPL Shontel de Boer confirmed that she was looking into the matter and said it had sparked outrage among people who believed that an environmental body should not be associated with fireworks.
De Boer said she spoke to the Board’s acting CEO Harry Mbambo who confirmed the issue.
Mbambo allegedly told her that one of their mandates was to generate income which they did by hiring out their hall.
Mbambo had apparently told De Boer that the staff responsible for venue hire had confirmed that the permit process was procedurally handled by the eThekwini Fire Department and that he had requested for the paperwork.
“He said they have signed an agreement with the company to say that they will only be selling them, they will not be lighting them, no sparks or anything of the sort on the premises,” she said.
De Boer said she also requested Mbambo to investigate what fireworks would be sold because some of them were banned.
“I told him that this is sparking outrage in the community,” she said.
Sunday Tribune has not been able to reach Mbambo.
Sagren Pillay a long time member of the KZN angling association who also has links to the Oceanographic Research Institute said he was horrified to hear that the Sharks Board was associated with the explosives.
He found out about the sale of the fireworks when he called to book the hall for a family event.
“They said to me there's somebody that's booked it for fireworks and that's when the bells rang. It's a risk to the institute because it's the only one that we have on the KZN coastline that protects marine life.”
Pillay said he was told that the company was still waiting for a permit and none of the fireworks were on the premises yet.
“There was an application about six years back at the same institute, and it was turned down. So I'm not sure if there's a change of management, or maybe there's a change in policy,” he said.
According to the municipality’s website the Nuisance and Behaviour in Public Places by-law came into effect in 2016. The by-law regulates noise and prohibits shouting, screaming, or any other loud noise and has set times when noise is permitted.
Any person who is convicted of an offence under the is liable to a fine up to R40 000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 2 years, or both.
Attempts to get comment from the KZN Fire Department was unsuccessful at the time of going to print.
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