No fireworks, please
Mossel Bay Municipality strictly prohibits the discharge of any fireworks in the municipal jurisdiction.
Fireworks may only be discharged if permission was granted beforehand through an application and providing the municipality granted a designated area for the purpose. Residents and visitors are encouraged to adhere to the regulations to avoid prosecution.
Guy Fawkes
The Mossel Bay Municipality warns that fireworks are also disallowed in the greater Mossel Bay area on Guy Fawkes night, 5 November.
"A general ban on fireworks will be strictly enforced," municipal spokesperson Colin Puren has confirmed.
The public's co-operation to take action against offenders in the form of affidavits to use as evidence in the courts would be appreciated.
The municipal law enforcement officers can only act if they observe the fireworks being detonated. They are extremely busy on New
Year's eve when the most transgressions occur and, as they usually have to travel some distance, the officers often find that the offenders have already left the scene or have stopped the fireworks by the time they arrive to attend to the complaint.
Fireworks, firecrackers, flares, paper lanterns and other such paraphernalia are considered a major fire risk and are not allowed in public or private spaces in the municipal area this summer, or at any other time.
The selling of fireworks is also illegal without a permit issued by the police.
No designated sites
In Mossel Bay, there are no designated sites for fireworks.
Paper lanterns entail a duel concern. In addition to the risk of blowing and dropping out of sight and catching fire in the dry veld conditions or on flammable material before being extinguished, they also waste resources when rescue services are incorrectly alerted to an "emergency flare".