More areas, but same strict conditions for fireworks

NDLAMBE Municipality has announced its list of designated areas for the discharging of fireworks, in addition to the West Pier in Port Alfred which has been the longest-established designated area.

It is not just a case of showing up with your rockets and setting them off in the designated areas. People who want to set off fireworks have to follow a formal application process, and there are other restrictions.

Municipal spokesman Cecil Mbolekwa said the Ndlambe Municipality Executive Committee (Exco) had resolved at its meeting on December 5 that the following areas have been designated for the discharge of fireworks:

Ward 1: Boknes Beach, Boknes

Ward 2 and 3: None

Ward 4: River Beach, Westbourne Road, Kenton-on-Sea

Ward 5: None

Ward 6 – 10: West Pier, Port Alfred

He said applications to discharge fireworks will only be considered upon receipt of the following:

1. An application letter addressed to the municipal manager by no later than Monday December 18 and hand-delivered or sent to the following email addresses: tmagawu@ndlambe.gov.za and jnel@ndlambe.gov.za);
2. All applications may only relate to shop goods obtained and deemed usable by the chief inspector of explosives, to be used in designated areas as prescribed in the Explosives Act, 26 of 1956;
3. Any applications granted will be subject to the following specific conditions:

• permission to use these designated areas will be limited to and granted for January 1 2018 (ie. the evening of December 31 2017) only;
• permission granted will only be in respect of a one-hour period, ie, 11.30pm to half an hour past midnight;
• no fireworks may be discharged into the direction of any houses and/or dwellings and/or into any residential area;
• NO BIG BANGS may be used – displays are to be limited to light displays; and
• fireworks on designated sea beaches must be discharged over the sea.

“Failure to comply with these terms and conditions will be deemed to be unlawful,” Mbolekwa said.

Further enquiries can be made to:

The office of the municipal manager – (046) 604-5556 / tmagawu@ndlambe.gov.za

Community/Protection Services – (046) 604-5528 / jnel@ndlambe.gov.za