Dear Editor,
Last night Chippa played Tuks at the NMM Stadium. For some reason kick off was at 19h30. This means that the match ended 21h20.
So for the duration of the match, residents in the surrounding areas had to endure a hysterical screaming commentator and loud music. It is funny that stadium management responds to comments on the food and beverage debacles, but remains deafeningly silent when it comes to the issue of unacceptable noise levels. The human rights of residents are continuously being trampled on by stadium management, yet they do not care at all. It is a basic human right to be able to live without being harassed by loud noise. There are three schools in the vicinity of the stadium. This implies that there are a large number of students that reside in the area. Youngsters in junior school need to go to bed early and older students should be studying. Especially those preparing to write matric. Last night however, no one was allowed to go to sleep at a decent time nor allowed to study. It is an absolute disgrace that stadium management could not care one bit about anyone’s rights. Once again we do not expect them the reply or even to attempt to address the issue. They are a law unto themselves. The residents have to endure weekends and evenings listening to the absolute mindless noise coming from the stadium. I would love to be able to sit on the verge outside the house of stadium managers and play my music at full volume and scream and shout at all hours of the night and early morning. We all know that I would be arrested forthwith.
It is beyond us how stadium management can blatantly disregard municipal bylaws with impunity. This would never happen in Cape Town, Durban nor Johannesburg. Only in Port Elizabeth where there are none so deaf as those that will not hear. We do not expect a response from stadium management as we are sure that whatever their response will be, will be another blatant lie used to whitewash the truth. Perhaps they should be removed from office and competent people employed to do a proper job.
No one is requesting matches not to take place, but simply to take into consideration the human rights of residents.
I see that more matches are scheduled for next Friday and Saturday evening. They start at 19h10 Friday and at 20h00 on Saturday. These times are really stupid and daft. Why are these matches not held at reasonable times if they are not being televised – or is the stadium just trying to abuse and intimidate residents. I say fire Chantal du Plessis and her team – they are beyond useless.
Yours sincerely
Michael du Plessis
Port Elizabethan
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Its a sports stadium for goodness sake. What does the writer of this letter expect? People to sit quiet as mice watching the game? I’m very sorry to say but this seem to be the kind of attitude that so many people in Port Elizabeth have. Moan and complain about everything. The stadium was built and the fact that it was placed there enhanced the area, assisted in the upgrade of the area and has increased property prices. All to the benefit of the writer of the letter. I bet he was one of those going on about the waste of money building the stadium and how it was a white elephant standing there with nothing happening. No there are soccer and rugby games and he’s complaining again. You’re dammed if you do and you’re dammed if you don’t.
Lets remove stadium management and put other people in their places. Yes, lets do it and see what happens. For the info of the writer. Stadium management doesn’t decided when games get scheduled. The national sports bodies do that.
“It is beyond us how stadium management can blatantly disregard municipal bylaws with impunity. This would never happen in Cape Town, Durban nor Johannesburg.”
Really? So non of the other cities have rugby or soccer games in the evening? Really? Oh and does the writer even know what the bylaw says? If it then breaks the bylaws why not just phone the police to stop the game? If it breaks the bylaws then he has the right to do so.
I wonder when the writer wants the midweek games to take place. 9am in the morning? School is on. 2pm in the afternoon. Still school and sport. Plus people work so who is supposed to go and watch the game.
Pointing fingers at Chantal du Plessis saying she is useless because he can’t handle sports matched taking place at the stadium is absolutely ridiculous? Like my kids say. Remember when you point one finger at somebody there are still three fingers pointing back. Just saying.
Just for interest sake a couple of comments I received after posting this on FB
– Some ppl are just rediculous. its not like there is a match on every night or week for that matter. he needs to get over himself!
– That’s so ridiculous it’s almost funny.
– Dumbass!
– The horror, the humanity…aieeeeee !!!!
– I notice the writer is a Michael du Plessis and he is asking for Chantal du Plessis’ head on a plate … maybe it is a marital/family spat ??? Also how come he has only just noticed the noise .. been quite a few events there before the latest football match !
– He obviously does not have all the facts if he thinks Chantal du Pisani’s surname is du Plessis – well responded Jonker aka Firefly!
– Dit is absoluut belaglik. As daar ‘n probleem is, hoekom het hulle nie klagtes gele voor die stadion gebou is nie?
– One borne every minute! Good grief ek se.
– Same as people complaining about the German club in Lorraine. It was built before most homes there. Do your homework about the area you choose to live in. Some people need to chill.
Thanks for the detailed response and research Jonker.
I stay in Parsons Hill and overlook the stadium, so, Like Michael, am also a neighbour. Yes, I have also been vocal over the noise on occasion. See one example: http://mype.co.za/new/a-victory-of-sorts-for-the-little-man/30809/2013/11
For the record we moved in here in 1999 for the peace and quiet, wonderful views, very low levels of crime and decent neighbours.
From my own personal point of view I support the stadium wholeheartedly as I realise that if the stadium is not successful the ratepayers of Port Elizabeth will foot the bill.
In effect the surrounding residents are taking one for the team here and my simple message is; “Don’t judge or condemn one who suffers and reacts, rather offer constructive advice”
The stadium is a NEW neighbour and as such needs to gain our trust – not the other way around.
What many people don’t factor in is the repetitive nature of noise and how it can be loud in some homes and not in others. As an example – a couple of years ago a new neighbour 2 doors down from me came home every night to a dull repetitive industrial throbbing noise every night. I was unaware of the noise and he couldn’t hear it from my home. After months of investigation the noise was pinpointed as coming from a specific business. That same business them implemented noise reduction measures to the value of hundreds of thousands of rand to solve the problem.
Unfortunately it was too late for my neighbour who moved out to Theesecombe to escape ALL noise.
Back to the stadium and the FB comments – The simple fact of the matter is that the stadium would do themselves a huge service if they reached out to the surrounding community and pockets of influence and engaged with them, rather than ‘springing’ these noise concerns on their neighbours. After all we are all in this together are we not?
As you will see from the article link above the noise is NOT confined to the occasional Ruby or Football match but to other events and activations as well. Remember we are going into the ‘silly season’ now and those events escalate.
I have suggested to the Stadium Management that they develop a simple email list of all of their neighbours which they can use to keep neighbours informed. This will also help in viral promotion of the stadium.
Frankly I don’t keep score when I see comments such as those posted on ‘Group Sex for Amoebas’.
Walk a mile in another man’s shoes before you shoot off a comment.
Yes – I have been living in the area BEFORE the stadium was even thought of. If I had know it was going to be built I would not have bought a house there. Get your facts straight Firefly BEFORE you make a fool of yourself in the public domain.
O dear Firefly – you clearly hang out with very limited minded friends on FB. But then again I suppose if you go to FB to get justification for you inane, uninformed comments, explains a lot regarding who you are.