Editor’s Note: Rock around the clock

IRONICALLY, complaints that blaring Saturday night music at the Central Sports Complex in Veldenvlei once again continued until after daybreak, have once again fallen on deaf ears.

Despite assurances by the organisers, verified at both the Exco and Council meetings of the City of uMhlathuze, that all music would cease at 1am, this undertaking was blatantly ignored.

Once again, residents were subjected to a high volume assault that robbed them of sleep.

Worse still, they had no recourse, as complainants were reportedly told by police that cut-off time was 3am – not that this was adhered to in any case.

Not only should the SAPS have reacted – as they presumably would have done if this was a normal complaint of disturbance of the peace at a house party – traffic officials should have been at hand to test the sobriety of drivers as they left the function.

The councillor and members of the Ward 2 committee have long campaigned against the use of this sporting venue for ‘bashes’, especially when the ZCBF Community Park is a logical alternative and would not impact on residential areas.

Will the City council finally treat Veldenvlei residents with the respect they deserve?

And will the organisers be fined for failing to adhere to their signed agreement regarding time frames?

The fact of the matter is, these functions never start or end at the scheduled time.

In this instance, we understand that the venue had barely 100 people present by 10pm, when it had been scheduled to start at noon.

The main artists only arrived after midnight, making a farce of any written undertaking.

Of course promoters have the democratic right to conduct business for a profit, and young people have the right to entertainment.

These points are not in dispute.

What is true is that one person’s right ends where another’s begins.

The municipality has to balance the rights of all its citizens.

In this ‘repeat offender’ case, it should not be too difficult to make the correct decision.