A school is no place for a construction site
Residents want noisy, dusty backyard operation shut down
BONELA residents have raised concerns about noise and dust from a construction site in the backyard of Bonela Secondary School.
The disgruntled residents said they have been trying to engage the school and business owner since 2015, when Multisand construction started its operation, but nothing came of it.
They claim they were not consulted when the school decided to lease the land to the construction company. Multi-sand uses the school’s backyard as a sand depot, and also produces concrete stones.
Community members allege that heavy vehicles and construction equipment cause sound and air pollution.
The operation is about 200m away from classrooms. Residents said they wanted the business shut down as it was not conducive to learning and affected their health and the value of their homes.
Sarah Abbubaker, 48, who lives near the construction site, criticised the decision to use the school’s backyard for construction without consulting those who would be affected.
“I wonder if the site has a proper waste removal system. The smell that comes up to our houses is unbearable when it’s windy. Our washing gets dirty and we have to keep our windows closed. When the trucks come to deliver stones and sand, it makes such a frightful noise” she said. Mervin Naidoo, 39, also a resident, said the dust and noise was a real concern, especially for children. “None of my kids attend the school, but I feel for parents who send their kids there.
“I don’t know how the department allowed such a business to operate on the premises without parents’ consent,” he said.
Deepak Singh, who owns Multi-sand, denied his company was causing unbearable noise and dust. He said he used water from his man-made dam to prevent dust. He said they evaluated the noise and dust issue with the school and there was no harm to pupils.
“We have a lease agreement. The land was advertised in the local newspaper by the school. We responded and we had a series of meetings with the principal and school governing body,” he said.
“We also support the school with donations for the underprivileged pupils. Our premises are neat and tidy because we are also Bonela residents.”
The school’s senior clerk, who refused to be named, said they had a verbal lease agreement with Multi-sand. He was not prepared to give City Watch contact details for the chairman of the school governing body.
The spokesperson for the Kwazulu-natal Department of Education, Muzi Mahlambi, said the school is in a residential area and, in the case of any development, all stakeholders were supposed to have been consulted. He said as the matter had contractual obligations, it had to be signed by the head of department with circuit and district managers.
“It would be illegal if a contract did not go through the relevant processes. We have no information of that at this point, but we will investigate,”