The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and the Hindu community have welcomed the City of Cape Town’s announcement to ban fireworks.
Discharging of fireworks is not allowed anymore in terms of the Community Fire Safety Bylaw, JP Smith, Mayco Member for Safety and Security, announced on Sunday.
He said the City would no longer designate areas to bars klappertjies for Guy Fawkes, Diwali and New Year as it is proving to be too expensive to deploy Law Enforcement officers, while some residents have also appealed for the ban as the fireworks were detrimental to pets.
Smith said anyone caught setting off fireworks or selling klappertjies illegally would be fined up to R300.
The Cape Town Hindu Seva Samaj (CTHSS) Executive Committee said it had no objections to the ban even though Diwali (the festival of lights) is just two weeks away.
The committee says instead of bursting noisy fireworks, they will go back to the old tradition of simply lighting lamps.
“Our belief is to light lamps (or Diyas) during this auspicious
occasion of light over darkness.
“So whilst we need to care for our furry friends, we also need to keep up to our traditions in a controlled and responsible manner,” it said.
According to Hindu tradition,
fireworks illuminate the skies as a gesture to the heavens, bringing good health, wealth, knowledge and prosperity.
Cape of Good Hope SPCA
spokesperson, Tara McGovern,
commended the City for the bylaw, which she says was long overdue.
Every year the SPCA treats scores of injured, maimed and lost pets due to fireworks.
“We are concerned that there’ll be those who will not adhere (to the law) and we hope the City will still have sufficient staff on standby to enforce this ban.
“We hope the rest of the country will follow suit with this bold move.”