Fireworks – Designated sites approved for discharge of fireworks
The City has approved 12 sites for the discharge of fireworks during Guy Fawkes, Diwali and New Year’s Eve celebrations. The list was approved in consultation with the various subcouncils after a review of existing sites, which included community feedback and looking at challenges experienced in previous years.
In terms of the Community Fire Safety By-law, areas where fireworks are to be discharged must be at least 100 m from buildings, roads and railway lines and at least 20 m from telephone and power lines, trees or other overhead obstructions; they must be at least 500 m from any petroleum depot, explosives magazine or gas cylinder; vehicles must be parked at least 100 m away from the firing point; and all entrances and emergency exits must be identified and maintained.
‘A number of additional sites were proposed by ward councillors, but these did not meet the safety criteria and so we had to reject them. We have also removed Theo Marais Park in Milnerton from the list of sites following objections from the public. Sunrise Beach has also been removed, in part due to the traffic congestion,’ says the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
After consultation with the subcouncils, the following sites have been approved for the discharge of fireworks:
- Tourism Centre, Athens Road, Table View beachfront
- Wesfleur sports field, Reygersdal Drive, Atlantis
- Bishop Lavis sports field, Lavis Drive, Bishop Lavis
- Metropolitan sports grounds, Melkhout Street, Bonteheuwel
- Delft Central sports grounds, Main Road, Delft
- Swartklip sports complex, Swartklip Road, Mitchells Plain
- Athlone Stadium parking area (eastern side), Klipfontein Road, Athlone
- Maiden’s Cove parking area, Victoria Road, Camps Bay
- Strandfontein Pavilion, Strandfontein
- Sarepta sports complex
- Blue Downs sports field
- Macassar Beach parking area, Macassar Road, Macassar
All designated fireworks areas will be patrolled by City Law Enforcement and Metro Police as well as a Fire Inspector. Anyone under the age of 16 is not permitted to discharge fireworks and 23:00 is the cut-off time on both Guy Fawkes and Diwali, with New Year’s Eve being the exception.
‘I hope that residents can appreciate the massive logistical exercise we deal with every year, as well as the costs associated with deploying staff to all of these areas. We could look at designating more sites, but we simply do not have the budget or the resources. I appeal to members of the public to use fireworks responsibly to prevent injuries, but also unnecessary inconvenience to those residents who do not partake in such activities. We have confiscated fireworks in previous years and issued fines for the illegal discharge of fireworks and we will do so again this year if need be,’ says Alderman Smith.
Members of the public with information relating to the illegal sale or use of fireworks can report this to the Metro Police Call Centre on 0860-POLICE (765 423) or to the South African Police Service on 10111. General emergencies can be directed via the City’s Public Emergency Call Centre on 107 from a landline or 021 480 7700 from a cellphone.
Published by the City of Cape Town. 2015/10/29
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