11 things you’ll be fined R40,000 for in Durban from Friday

New by-laws for the Ethekwini Municipality are set to kick in Friday, 11 March, that will see citizens facing a R40,000 fine or two years imprisonment for being a “public nuisance”.

We first heard of these new Nuisance laws last year, and the public was divided in their response. Some felt that they were draconian, others welcomed them as a step in the right direction to curb general lawlessness with respect to bylaws. 

Others were adamant that the current bylaws were not enforced, so how would adding a plethora of new ones assist. If we do not enforce current laws, and we seem to turn a convenient blind eye to blatant offences, how is this going to help. 

Some argued that some of the nuisance laws were petty, others were more vociferous, arguing that we are heading towards a nanny state.  Others felt that their was a vagueness to some of the laws that would inevitable lead to an abuse of power by those whose jobs it would be to enforce them. 

Below are some of the laws

• Nuisance behaviour in public places;
  
• Allowing vegetation on your property to grow out of control;
  
• Hanging of items on fences, walls, balconies and verandas,
  
• Noise;
  
• Litter;
  
• Conduct regarding vehicles such as washing and repairing vehicles in public spaces;
  
• Obstructing, blocking or disturbing traffic and pedestrians;
  
• Excavation in public places;
  
• Weed-killers, herbicides, poisons and pesticides;
  
• Vandalism of municipal property and
  
• Nuisance arising from the use of premises.

SOURCE: BusinessTech

For a full list of the  bylaws  click here

What do you think of the new bylaws?