Have fun – safely

The Hindu celebration of Diwali will be celebrated on Wednesday, 26 October, and once again, the City of Cape Town has set aside eight designated areas where members of the public can watch fireworks displays or set off fireworks.

The City has urged all those using fireworks while celebrating Diwali to do so safely. Only shop-bought fireworks may be discharged, and this will happen under the watchful eye of public safety authorities, who will adopt a zero-tolerance approach to those who discharge fireworks illegally.

Inspections will be conducted by the City’s Fire Safety Inspectors and Law Enforcement officials, as well as the Explosives Unit of the South African Police Service. All approved fireworks displays are presented by licensed fireworks contractors, and those attending such displays have been urged to follow the safety instructions given by the organisers.

Fireworks can only be bought from authorised dealers and shops which display the relevant police permits, and not from informal traders.

Fireworks can only be sold in sealed packages. Children under the age of 16 are not legally allowed to buy fireworks.

The discharging of any fireworks is strictly at your own risk, and the City cannot be held liable for any claims for injury or damage resulting from the use of fireworks.

The SPCA and other animal organisations have also urged the public to be considerate of the distress the loud noises cause to animals, especially dogs. If you have dogs, ensure they are safely secured on your property.

The Dewali date is earlier than usual this year, as it is calculated according to the position of the moon.

Diwali or Deepavali, which means a row of lights, is an ancient Indian religious ritual. Discharging fireworks is a tradition symbolising the victory of light over darkness and good over evil and follows a month-long fast and abstinence from meat and alcohol by Hindus.

Those with information on the illegal sale or use of fireworks can report this to the Metro Police Call Centre on 0860-POLICE (765423) or to the SAPS on 10111.

For more information about the designated sites, call the City’s Disaster Operations Centre on 080-911-HELP (4357).

The City has designated the following areas for the discharge of fireworks:

Article source: http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/Pages/HavefunsafelythisDiwali.aspx