‘’Remember, remember, the 5th of November, Gunpowder, treason and plot’’, but authorities are warning against anyone found discharging fireworks illegally as Wednesday marks Guy Fawkes
MMC for Safety and Security, JP Smith, says law enforcement departments are fully prepared to clamp down on the illegal sale and use offireworks. Smith confirmed that the City no longer provides designated areas for setting off fireworks during Diwali, Guy Fawkes, or New Year’s Eve. He says no fireworks will be permitted unless a valid permit has been issued for an official display.
‘’Officers will act if they catch anyone in the act of
discharging fireworks, but it is best to snuff it out at the source. So if you see anyone selling fireworks on the
roadside or at corner shops, and you’re not sure they have a permit for it, please
do report it immediately. Please call the City’s Public Emergency Communication
Centre on 021 480 7700.’’
PICTURE: PixabayThe City says its Public Emergency Communication Centre has
recorded decreases in complaints related to the illegal sale of fireworks, as
well as the illegal discharge of fireworks in recent years. In 2024, it
received 74 calls for illegal discharge of fireworks compared to 191 the
previous year.
At the same time, it logged 20 calls for the illegal sale
of fireworks. In 2023, it was 32.
Smith says in 2024, the Fire & Rescue Service also did
not respond to any incidents that were specifically linked to Guy Fawkes. Enforcement
responses to anti-social behaviour too showed a decline, but officers were
still kept very busy in areas like Lavender Hill and surrounds, Lotus River and
Atlantis.
‘’We’ve seen a marked downturn in the past two years of
incidents reported to the City on Guy Fawkes Day. We understand that there
might well have been more incidents and that these were not reported, but we
are encouraged nonetheless by the apparent decline. In a city where we grapple
daily with violent crime and gun violence, Guy Fawkes as a concept is
nonsensical and trauma-inducing for those in neighbourhoods where the tradition
still rears its head. We will deploy resources to areas that have shown to be
hotspots in the past, but I also call on the public to report any signs of
criminality on the day to help keep the public safe,’ said JP Smith, Mayoral
Committee Member for Safety and Security.
In the first 20 days of October 2025, the PECC recorded 45
incidents of the illegal discharge of fireworks, with more than half occurring
over just four days, from the 17th.
Done by: Mitchum George
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