Cape Town will be celebrating ‘Diwali’ at the end of October month and then the festival of ‘Guy Fawkes’ after a week and then the ‘New Year’s Eve’. Keeping this in mind the City has released regulations to remind the residents that no fireworks will be allowed without the necessary permission and a permit.
Although there has been a slight decline in fireworks related to the incidents and complaints in recent years, that remain as a contentious issue.
The City of Cape Town has dispensed with designated fireworks sites in the year 2019 for the festival of Diwali, Guy Fawkes and also the New Year’s Eve.
This year, in 2024 there will be no different, or anyone wishing to put on a fireworks display needs to apply for a permit from the South African Police Service, in terms of the National Explosives Act.
If the application is approved by SAPS, then the applicants has to contact the Fire and Rescue Service’s Fire Life Safety Section in the area where they plan to hold the display, so that site inspection can be done and carried out to determine whether the site is safe for a fireworks display.
Apart from ensuring that there are no fire hazards in the immediate surroundings, some strict conditions are there that have to be adhered to before and during the fireworks display to mitigate any potential risk to public health and safety.
Notably, over 200 attendees were expected at the event that requires any infrastructure build, the applicant also requires an events permit from the City. Between the months October and November, the City of Cape Town has received complaints about increase in fireworks, especially in the residential areas.
Concerning this, the public is being reminded again and again that they can be fined for setting off fireworks without a permit, selling fireworks to anyone under the age of 16, or allowing a person younger than age-16 to handle the fireworks without adult supervision.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Safety and Security – Alderman JP Smith said that although the popularity of fireworks has decreased in recent years, there remain those who find joy in setting off the fireworks and terrorizing their neighborhoods and pets.
According to Smith, the trauma and stress, especially in communities wracked by the gun violence, which is something that they all can do without it. It was an incredibly difficult offence to enforce, as the locations cannot be pin-pointed or the perpetrators disappear before staff are able to get to the scene.
Ultimately, a national ban on fireworks is the best solution but until then they asked the residents for report and those selling the fireworks illegally. So that they can try and reduce the supply on the streets, said JP Smith.