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What to do about your annoying neighbours
Rowdy neighbours whose techno tunes constantly blare from their sound system and the owner of that terrifying Rottweiller who roams free all day may be contravening municipal bylaws and could be risking fines.
What to do about your annoying neighbours
By Terri-Liza Fortein
This article was originally published on page 11 of The Cape Argus on March 31, 2004
Rowdy neighbours whose techno tunes constantly blare from their sound system and the owner of that terrifying Rottweiller who roams free all day may be contravening municipal bylaws and could be risking fines.
Neville Michaels, co-ordinator of law enforcement services for the City of
On Tuesday the
One of the neighbours was allegedly assaulted and the other was fined and their sound system confiscated by police. The matter has been referred to the Cape Town Magistrate's Court.
On Tuesday we asked Capetonians what annoyed them most about their neighbours.
? Pat of University Estate said his neighbours had three tiny dogs that are let out every morning at about 6.30 and then "they start barking and whimpering to no end".
"I only start work at about 10am, but these dogs wake me at around 6am all the time. One morning I went over there and threatened to seriously harm their dogs," he said on Tuesday.
Michaels said according to bylaws, property owners were not allowed to keep dogs that whine, bark or howl excessively. They were also not allowed to keep more than three dogs on their premises without informing the city council.
"If a bitch is on heat she is to be kept on her owner's premises or on a leash. Dogs that interfere with the ordinary comfort of the neighbours or attack, worry and frighten any person or animal may also not be kept," he said.
Dog owners who did not comply with the bylaws can be fined between R100 and R1 000.
But unfortunately for Chris of Vredehoek, the same legislation does not apply to cats.
"Everyone in my building has cats and if I leave my windows open they just come in and urinate all over my carpets or furniture which really gets me angry."
? Robyn of Hanover Park and Jarelda of Northpine complained about their neighbours who often had wild parties and played loud music until the early hours of the morning. But both admitted that when they asked their neighbours to keep it down, they generally obliged.
? Lukhanyo of Brackenfell said his neighbours' hymns were really disturbing: "I am not religious and she keeps playing gospel music early in the morning and late at night. I have spoken to her several times but she refuses to stop."
Michaels said the noise and nuisance bylaw stated that if someone's music could be heard outside the boundaries of their premises, they were contravening the law.
"If notified of a complaint, law enforcement officials will investigate and see how serious the situation is. If necessary, they instruct people to turn down their music and if the offenders do not comply, they can be fined between R200 and R1 000. In extreme cases, their equipment will be confiscated."
? Other Capetonians complained that their neighbours spied on them or dumped rubble in front in their driveways.
Trees which overlapped from one neighbour's yard to the next, leaving a leafy mess, were also a popular complaint from those interviewed.
But Michaels said these situations were not covered by bylaws as they were civil matters, which had to be settled between the respective parties.
Published on the Web by IOL on 2004-03-31 11:59:00
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