The Glory Restoration Assembly, a Christian church in Parklands, has left many nearby neighbours with their hands in their hair as the noise coming from the church building has been a constant hurdle for residents to overcome.
The law
A recent standing operating procedure (Sop) which had been formalised in May of this year exempts places of worship from the streets, public places and prevention of noise nuisances by-law should the building fall within appropriate zoning.
According to the City of Cape Town’s City Map and Zoning Viewer, the Glory Restoration Assembly is in an appropriate zoning scheme, and falls under a “GR2” which means it is a residential area, where places of worship are allowed to operate.
According to Mayco member for community services and health Councillor Patricia van der Ross, the Sop states that, where the religious institution is legally zoned, CoCT will not apply the provisions of the “streets, public places and prevention of noise nuisances by-law,” but rather the “Western Cape Provincial Noise Control Regulations”.
This means that upon a complaint, CoCT will:
- make contact with the complainants of the church
- serve notification letters to the church
- investigate the noise sources
- measure the noise
- determine the violations which the church can be charged with
- meet with the responsible persons
- require a noise abatement plan.
The community
Several residents in and around Dartford Drive have complained about the “noise” coming from the church, calling it a “rock concert”, with “vuvuzelas and drums” at all hours of the day.
The notice board outside of the church advertises services on Monday and Wednesday evening from 18:00 to 20:00, and Sunday mornings at 09:00 to 11:00, however residents that took to social media complained about the fact that the services continue past the advertised times.
A source TygerBurger has reached out to, explained that services take place on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays both in the mornings and evenings, which quite often “carries on very late at night”.
“There is just no way to keep the sound out, and I do not know who to turn to,” the source said, who asked to stay anonymous for safety reasons as the church became violent after an encounter to quiet the noise.
The aftermath
Several service requests and complaints to law enforcement, the City as well as to the local ward councillor, have been laid, according to the source who is still waiting in anticipation for guidance on the matter.
“I have written to the councillor, who took it further and reported it, but who is also now waiting for a response,” the source explained.
According to Nicky Rheeder, Ward 107 councillor, several complaints have been handed to her from concerned residents, which have been reported to CoCT.
“I report it to CoCT who then makes contact with the church and the person filing the complaint. There is then a law that determines which steps must be taken,” Rheeder said.
Rheeder further explained that the public is encouraged to continuously lodge complaints with her, because only after enough complaints are compiled, CoCT will investigate it as a “noise nuisance”, and steps can be taken.
No complaints have been filed at Table View Police Station on this, said Capt Adriana Chandler, spokesperson of the police station.
This kind of issue is usually dealt with by law enforcement, as no criminal act has been performed, Chandler explained.
Glory Restoration Assembly has been approached by TygerBurger for comment, but had not replied by the time of publication.
