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Namibia: Good News On
Fireworks Ban
The Namibian (Windhoek) - January 3, 2007 - Denver Isaacs
Although some Windhoek
residents may grumble about the Municipal Explosions Act, which
bans the use of fireworks in municipal areas, the Windhoek
municipality says most people observed the ban this New Year's Eve.
Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, the Acting Chief of the Windhoek
City Police, Gerry Shikesho, said that no fines were issued for the
unauthorised explosion of fireworks.
Likewise, the Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said yesterday that,
"for the first year ever", no panic-stricken dogs or cats needed to
be rescued from the streets as a result of unruly celebrations.
"We actually have to
compliment members of the community for working with us in not only
keeping fireworks out of residential areas, but also in helping us
to curb crime in the city," Shikesho said.
His praise doesn't
mean that everyone complied with the law, however.
City Police officers had to warn a number of parents to curb their
children's merrymaking.
"There are obviously
some small things that people bought from markets, and they caused a
bit of a public nuisance. But most of the trespassers were kids",
Shikesho said, adding that the Police had confiscated these
fireworks and warned the children's parents.
One contributing
factor to this year's improved fireworks handling appears to have
been the venue of the official New Year's celebrations at the Sam
Nujoma Soccer Stadium rather than in the city centre, observers say.
According to the
Explosions Act, anyone wishing to use fireworks during the festive
season must first apply in writing for permission from the Chief
Inspector of Explosives. "Using fireworks without this permission
and anywhere within the municipal area is a punishable offence," the
City of Windhoek warned last month.
eThekweni
Municipality: Fire Chief alludes to change
Natal
Witness - Monday, 15 January 2007 - Sne Makhanya
Metro
Police spokesman Alec Wright said that "there are a lot
of talks about the control, selling, import and possible
banning of explosives within the eThekwini
municipality".
SPCA calls for
fireworks ban
01/01/2007 14:38 -
(SA)
Johannesburg -
The uncontrolled use of fireworks must be banned, said the National
Council of the SPCA on Monday. "The effect on animals last night
(New Year's Eve) was horrific, absolutely horrific...
"The police workload
is such that they cannot be expected to respond to calls about the
illegal use of fireworks, the only solution is to ban them
(fireworks)," said spokesperson Chris Kutch.
She said the NSCPA was
not opposed to the controlled use of fireworks, which were a key
ingredient in New Year festivities across the world. But, the
problem was the "backyard, hooligan, random" use of loud exploding
fireworks.
Missing pets up 50%
"A dog, for example,
has extremely sensitive hearing, so sensitive it can hear a
grasshopper eat... dogs jump through glass, run into electric fences
and can even become impaled on fences as they run in fear of the
noise."
Identi-Pet, an animal
tracking service, reported that figures on pets that went missing on
New Year's Eve shot up by 50% from the same period last year, said
Kutch.
Metro police on
Saturday warned that a fine of up to R2 000 could be imposed on
people who break the rules set down for the use of fireworks.
Spokesperson Wilfred
Kgasago said fireworks that were illegally exploded in residential
areas could land people celebrating the new year in trouble.
EWT (Endangered
Wildlife Trust) comments on Draft Fireworks Regulations
29 NOVEMBER 2006
The
Draft Regulations on Fireworks, under the National Explosives Act,
were closed for the second round of comments on 19 October 2006. The
Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), together with other concerned NGOs,
namely Wet Nose Animal Rescue Centre and a group of concerned
KwaZulu-Natal citizens dubbed “Voice for the Voiceless”, raised the
concern, amongst others, that the regulations fail to take into
consideration the dangers facing animals, both domestic and wild, by
fireworks.
Specific
issues raised include the fact that no mention is made of the impact
of fireworks on animals, and subsequently no regulations exist to
protect animals under the fireworks regulations, apart from a very
brief mention of kennels. Furthermore, the regulations do not
require persons who undertake a fireworks display to give warning to
nearby residents. This is an important oversight, since prior
warning would allow people to take steps to reduce the trauma that
their animals will face. Another serious oversight is that the
regulations fail to allocate responsibility for enforcement.
Although the revised version does list certain activities as an
offence, it fails to explain what the consequences of such an
offence would be, and who would be responsible for enforcing it. The
revised regulations are also very vague about a number of points,
leaving interpretation up to the reader.
The
concerned NGOs were granted extended time to comment after the first
closing date in September 2005. It however seems that few of the
comments were taken into consideration in the revision of the
regulations. Despite the annual public outcry at the trauma suffered
by animals on traditionally popular days for fireworks displays;
despite the countless pets that are reported missing or injured
after fireworks displays; and despite the equally traumatic effects
that fireworks are likely to have on wildlife, it seems that the
issue is still not being taken seriously.
The EWT
respects the rights of religious groups to celebrate culturally
important events with fireworks displays. Much stricter control must
however be enforced to prevent unnecessary distress and suffering to
the animals that cohabit our environment. Specifically, the EWT
would like to see the very loud fireworks varieties banned, and
other varieties more carefully managed, and is not calling for a ban
on visual-effect pyrotechnics. With stricter control over the
import, sale and use of fireworks, South Africa has an opportunity
to set a global example as an ethical, environmentally sensitive and
advanced country whilst still allowing cultural freedom of
expression. |
