Phoenix residents say a noisy business in the area is giving them sleepless nights.
Juniper Mjucu and her family live next to an open field on the corner of School Street and Koeberg Road. She says a big truck arrived a few months ago and started offloading shipping containers “out of the blue”.
Thecontainersbelongto Container Worx, a company that converts shipping containers into offices.
“There is grinding at all hours of the day. They start any time between 8am to 10am and work to as late as 7.45pm,” said Ms Mjucu
She is also worried that sparks from the grinding will start a fire.
“They did not clean the area before placing the containers there, so there is still grass. Sometimes we can smell how the sparks burn the grass. We are right next door so we are scared of a fire,” she said.
Tabletalk visited the Container Worx site on Thursday November 16. The gates were locked, and the site unoccupied. Ms Mjucu said the worker who was usually there told them he would not be there for a few days.
The business’s name, phone number and Facebook page are advertised on a sign tied to the fence. The Facebook page says the business is based in Roberts Road in Woodstock and it links to a company website.
Tabletalk called the company’s phone number but it went to voicemail and a message we left wasn’t returned by deadline. The company also did not respond to emailed questions.
Sibongile Kofi, from the Phoenix Ratepayers’ Association (PRA), said he had alerted Ward 4 councillor Wandisile Ngeyi to complaints about the business, but he had been “ignored”.
Tabletalk asked Mr Ngeyi if he was aware of the problem and where residents could take their complaints.
He said: “I have now decided not to engage them (residents) through the media but to organise a special meeting where grey areas can be cleared.”
Suzette Little, mayoral committee member for area north, said the land used by Container Worx was privately owned and zoned as non-residential. She said it had “not been determined” if the business had a permit to work from the premises.
“Boththelawenforcement departmentandenvironmental health services conducted site visits on Friday November 17. Officials found the gates locked at the time of their visits and could observe no activity on the site.
The matter will be referred to the town planning department and noise pollution control department for further action.”
The City would take action if Container Worx was found to be running illegally from the premises, she said.
“As relates to the noise complaints, it is recommended that the complainants contact the local environmental health office in Milnerton on 021 444 5640 or at the Royal Ascot Building in Bridle Way, as noise pollution complaints require that an affidavit be submitted, as required in terms of the noise control regulations.
The affidavit needs to clearly identify the location, source and time that the noise incidents occur in order for City officials to address the concerns appropriately.
“That said, the environmental healthandlawenforcement departments will also continue monitoring the situation,” said Ms Little.
