Summer Place’s rowdy parties given go-ahead
Rich neighbours at wits’ end as city drops plan for court action
SEVERAL wealthy families will have to wage their battle against premier party venue Summer Place solo after the City of Johannesburg abandoned its own bid to stop the noise.
Late last year, the council launched a high court battle against the venue’s owners for hosting “illegal activities” — including weddings, corporate functions and bar mitzvahs.
Now, in an about-face, it has approved a rezoning application that will allow some of the previously “illegal” activities by granting Summer Place rights to establish a 250-bed hotel.
Summer Place has for years been the venue of choice for the city’s rich, but its late-night parties have driven neighbours up the wall.
Richard Maponya, the entrepreneur responsible for the giant Maponya mall; Citibank’s Nick Pagden and Invesco’s Ruwaida Amod are among the 25 Hyde Park residents who signed a petition objecting to Summer Place “playing canned and live music, fireworks, and generally [being] in contravention of their zoning rights”.
The document formed part of a high court application for an interdict the city sought to obtain against Summer Place in November.
Residents accused Summer Place of constantly disturbing their sleep, especially on weekends, creating “a wholly unacceptable” situation.
They accused the owners of Summer Place of using it as a multipurpose entertainment venue for events such as live entertainment, banqueting, weddings and product launches with fireworks displays.
City spokesman Nthatisi Modingoane confirmed that legal action was taken “against the owners regarding the illegal activities taking place” at the venue at the time.
Summer Place belongs to Marchia Estates, a company owned by four members of the wealthy Krok family.
It is one of Johannesburg’s most prized party venues and has hosted events such as a gala dinner for Sentebale, one of the charities of Britain’s Prince Harry, and the nominations party for the Metro FM music awards.
Modingoane confirmed that a rezoning application — first submitted in 2008 — was approved on March 14 this year for the amendment of rights from “Residential 1 and Residential 2 to Residential 4”.
Modingoane said this allowed for a “conference facility, a dining area, restaurants, ballroom
I can’t use my home on weekends. Summer Place is a huge disruption to our lives
facilities, a hairdresser, gym and other ancillary uses” associated with a hotel.
“The subsequent submission and approval of the rezoning application will rectify the illegal situation,” said Modingoane on Friday.
He said the rezoning meant the “illegalities” were no longer seen as contraventions.
“Council will most likely not pursue the [legal] matter,” he said.
The city’s U-turn came four months after the high court action was launched.
Summer Place sits on three pieces of land, two of which were zoned for residential purposes when the city launched its court case in November.
One of the residents, Charmaine Mabuza — CEO of Empilisweni Payout Services, a company responsible for distributing social grants — who shares a wall with Summer Place, said the noise woke her up during the night almost every weekend.
“I can’t use my home on weekends. Summer Place is a huge disruption to our lives,” she said.
Mabuza said she had on many occasions written to Summer Place to complain about the noise pollution, but had yet to get a response.
Another neighbour who lives on Helling Street, which is behind Summer Place, said the parties made Summer Place the neighbour from hell.
“When we moved in [last year], I was absolutely horrified by the noise that came from Summer Place and I cannot believe the other residents have not done something sooner,” she said.
The neighbour, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the noise from parties and events at Summer Place had become a permanent “big problem” on weekends.
“It is such loud noise that I can even hear the words the DJ is saying,” she said.
Andre Swart, another neighbour, said property owners who were going to be affected by the rezoning should be allowed to comment on the proposed new development plans and agree to it before it goes ahead.
“If it is a boutique hotel, as the Kroks, owners of Summer Place, claimed a few years ago, then noise might not be an issue,” Swart said.
In November, when the City of Johannesburg said it was still “considering” the 2008 rezoning application, it confirmed that it had received seven objections to the application.
Summer Place manager Mary Krchnavy declined to comment. Comment on this: write to tellus@sundaytimes.co.za or SMS us at 33971
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