The Newcastle Municipality has officially gazetted its new municipal bylaws, signifying the start of a much-needed change within the community.
It should be highlighted that the bylaws cover a range of prohibited conduct, potentially landing community members in hot water if they do not adhere to the regulations.
While Newcastillians have grown accustomed to some actions being done regularly, the bylaws prohibit several behaviours in public or public areas. These include the following:
- Urinating or defecating, except at a designated facility.
- Using abusive, threatening, or foul language or gestures.
- Consuming alcohol or being in a state of intoxication.
- Using drugs or being under the influence of drugs.
- Begging for money, goods, or employment by gesture, words, or otherwise.
- Offering money, food, or goods to any person begging.
- Causing a nuisance in any way.
The bylaws prohibit anyone in a public place from causing disturbances or interfering with the peace of others through loud behaviours such as shouting, screaming, or making any loud or persistent noise, including amplified sound. However, this rule excludes noise from officially permitted public events, gatherings, religious congregations, or noise related to emergency or rescue announcements.
Additionally, individuals must not allow noise or sound from a private residence or business to disrupt the peaceful use and enjoyment of neighbouring properties.
This rule does not apply to noises coming from entertainment venues that are properly zoned according to the local planning scheme.
Furthermore, no person may cause or permit to be caused any disturbance or impairment of the convenience or peace of any person within the following times:
- From Sunday to Thursday, between 10 pm and 6 am.
- From Friday to Saturday, between 12 am and 8 am.
With the bylaws covering the above-mentioned offences and more, the bylaw document states that any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any provision listed shall be guilty of an offence. In the case of a continuing offence, the person shall be liable to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 30 days.
To read the full gazetted bylaws that are now to be implemented in Newcastle, click here —-> Municipal Bylaws
Reflecting on the gazetted bylaws, Newcastle Municipality’s Dr Koos Vorster highlighted that while the updating of the municipal bylaws was necessary, he believed some shortcomings could be faced in the coming months. “I don’t believe that the Municipality has the necessary staff to police and implement the bylaws,” he emphasised.
However, Cllr Faizel Cassim of the Newcastle Municipality’s Executive Council explained that the Municipality did indeed have the necessary staff complement to implement the said bylaws. In fact, he noted that the newly gazetted bylaws would offer Newcastle residents a degree of law and order and law enforcement now be able to act on offences that impacted residents. “For example, drinking or being intoxicated in public will now be addressed.”
While the bylaws have been gazetted, the necessary fines for the various offences are still to be confirmed. “The only thing left now is for the Chief Magistrate to endorse the fines, which should be done within the next month,” stated Cllr Cassim.
Once the magistrate has endorsed the necessary fines to be handed out, Cllr Cassim explained that Newcastillians would see a positive change in the community.
As the Newcastle Municipality prepares to implement the new bylaws, community members are encouraged to share their thoughts in the comment section below.
34 Responses
Shame so feeding the homeless is a crime? You’re not planning on helping them but want to stop others from helping. I’ll gladly do jail time for feeding the homeless.
Mag ek vra vir hoeveel hawelose mense gee jy daagliks iets te eet?
Bunch of jokers making rules and bylaws. Who will iplement these laws, as nobody is doing anything to vehicles going over red robots, driving drunk, crackers been set of areas, vehicles with excesive noise, list can go on. They cant even fix blocked drains, again a bunch of jokers making rules and laws.
Yes but prositutes sranding naked and flashing and shouting to residents is fine. Wonder if someone is getting free services so therfore reluctant to address this issue
Fix the potholes & roads
Clean up the streets & parks
Fix burst pipes & leakage
Before we talk about bylaws.
Also remember we pay to upkeep the municipality. But are treated like dogs when we ask for help .
I’ve asked counsellor to get grass cut behind St Dominic School. I’m still waiting for that to happen.
Provide services and be humble to Newcastle citizens after all you are there to serve the people not the other way around.
Yes, maybe its you? Dont comment on stuff you know nothing about!
Most welcome but the reality is that if u can not enforce this then it’s useless to us . The residents of nightingale Street lennoxton have been begging u for years , almost 10 years now. The illegal use of nofta old age facility has been used as a night.club right in the middle of residential homes. It has become a the nightmare next door . It seems to us that some individuals are more important and do as they wish. Let’s see if u will act.on this information. We deserve to live in peace just like the rest of Newcastle.
Dont cry if and when it happens, there are many charity organisations in our toen that could make use of your services in a proper and legal manner, no good trying to be a hero by flouting the law!
Bylaws most welcome, thanks. Are there any bylaws illegal dumping? Is there any enforcement?
Rubbish and filth causing rats in front of my yard is a daily challenge .The vacant site belongs to the municipality
Yes there are…
Good move I personally support this.
Excellent by-laws but implementation will be the main issue.
Excellent? Don’t judge a begger just because you’re in a better situation than he is. Show some compassion for others otherwise we are just ruthless animals
The pertinent question would be:
Who will enforce these bylaws?
Its one thing to have laws and bylaws, but it is quite another to actually ENFORCE them.
As always, the idea is good…the execution of the idea, not so much.
Why don’t the SAPS and the Traffic Department start by enforcing the basic laws first…you can put as many laws in place as you want, but without enforcement, you are wasting paper, ink, and time.
True writer some of these people that must implement are the perpertrators
Thank you anonymous. Its ridiculous that they fail to take care of the homeless even though we pay taxes. So now people are banned to take care of their neighbors. As for people asking for jobs? What exactly is supposed to happen. I work for the Morning Show and I will be covering this story.
Homeless people pay for taxes too?
Niqhubekisa indlala eningi, labantwana bazicelela ukudla ngoba imisebenzi ingekho, sibanika amatoho ezingadi on a daily basis, baba mayor le oyiphendule la ayinamsoco bhuti. Abantu bakithi laba abalinyazwayo ngalemithetho ebolile.
…hear, hear honourable Mayor
Please clear up the following,
Littering and illigal dumping, nothing is mentioned about this?
Noise by means of high volume music, is it allowed between times as mentioned as hard as you want or does it stay a desturbance during these times, or is loud music allowed during the times mentioned, when is loud music a desturbance? Always or is it allowed in the time frame as mentioned.
Thank you
Bylaws are a necessity for any local municipality to thrive and be able to have a sense of control over its citizens. However, some of the proposed bylaws should be implemented with concomitant programs from the municipality in dealing with the challenges faced by the society. It’s unjust to say people would be jailed or fined for begging for food and money, when they have no alternatives due to economic challenges facing the country.
These are extremely myopic bylaws. It’s obvious these bylaws are targeted towards eliminating the homelessness problem in Newcastle, but as humans, unlike plants, can’t rely on photosynthesis to eat, they will seek alternative sources of sustenance such as petty contact crimes, and housebreaking as a substitute to begging. And by further alienating them, you will increase antisocial behaviors amongst the homeless population which will result in an increased likelihood of violence and sexual assaults alongside those crimes. We are also in a downward spiral as a country, which will further compound many of the social factors that tend to result in homelessness. The only saving grace here will be the enforcement of these bylaws; should they be enforced expect an increase in crime, and crime related violence across the board, but if they go the way of most government initiatives it’ll merely be a law in pen and paper, not practice.
It’s so sad that municipality is concerned about people urinating in public yet can’t take care of broken bins in residential areas.Please replace the damaged bins in the affected ares and let’s start by keeping streets clean
True writer some of these people that must implement are the perpertrators
I believe any loud noise.should it be music.people excessively screaming or being loud.using off road motorcycles.quads.fireworks between any time in especially residential areas and parks to be enforced.
I could be mistaken but as far as I am aware of,by laws we’re to be enforced by the municipal traffic department and police.Currently it seems that newcastle has no traffic officials as mostly everyone are ignoring roadsigns as well as road rules,what is the meaning of a red traffic light or a stop street anyway?.If road safety is not a priority,what priority would be given to by laws enforcement from whomever designated to do so.
These bylaws are welcome and can be policed by the SAPS and Municipal officials without any neeed to create more jobs for pals or family and should not be applied selectively based on political or social status.
I think it should be stated that the sound /music bylaws will apply to people living in town surburbs thina in the towship please leave us alone we are loud by nature and enjoys loud must we never complain. Always do bylaws that favours abelungu they are the ones not liking loud music thina the majority are never catered mcm however I applaud some next time you will be telling us not to do fireworks on the 31st saying they are loud hhay suka niyadina. Please also do bylaws that binds you as the municipality pertaining water, roads, street lights, electricity etc and lead by example our townships are worse than rural areas mcm imigwaqo akuhambeki ni busy with these absurd bylaws qalani nizilunguse nina
I think police should address the issue of drug peddling. Who is responsible for giving these people drugs. We can’t put bandage over the wound without cleaning it. Who are drug dealers and why are they left alone because they are the cause of this problem. People in the streets knock off in a certain time after being paid. You must observe and provide real interventions. We give food out of compassion and not wrong there. There is a real problem. Please check what is happening in townships.
On the money Vinesh. Some insignificant bylaws that have no bearing on improving the lives of the people. Fix the collapsing infrastructure of our once beautiful town, then we can take you seriously.
This is called shifting the focus.This should be paused,it is something good for Newcastle,there are some points which needs to be relooked and removed as they are ridiculous.What should be done first is adress and fix current issues and problems once that is in order,the Bylaws can resume.For now this seems as the Bylaws are used to shift the focus of all the burning issues in Newcastle,most of the issues are already mentioned in the comments.
I fully support these bylaws because they set a good standard of our town. This will ensure a clean and attracting town. This approach is much needed for our town as it shows we want to protect it from being classified as a lawless town. I have seen so many lawless towns around the country and I asked myself what went wrong. So, by this approach, we won’t be counted in the list of those ugly towns. Thank you for such bylaws. I hope more be implement in the near future and the implementation of such goes excellently well.
I would so like to see who stops the taxis from hooting unnecessarily all over town including at NN mall.
Does the council have alternate solutions for the homeless and beggars? Will you assist in feeding them daily?
Well done Newcastle, the noise started taking over the streets and sounded like every corner of the street has a disco. My only concern is, that do the LM has the manpower and funds to implement these bylaws, as mentioned, if not it will be a fruitless exercise. Currently members of the public deliberately continue with the noise to get, or to see if action is going to be taken.
This issue is a huge concern to some members of the public that suffers from anxiety and other types of underlying issue regarding the tremendous bass sound that penetrates even the concrete walls of your house depending how far the noise is even a km away still causing irritating inconvenience to certain individuals as stated. Certain members no longer respect other people and just concentrate in satisfying his needs.
Such a disgrace that since passing these laws we can fairly say absolutely nothing has been done to implement them.. Please show us how many of these violations you have dealt with since..
Patterson street is looking like a mess(dumping).. People drinking in public(due to the bottle store being there near the sex workers).. They shout, swear and threaten the residence.. They throw bottles all over the road when they fight.. They urinate behind the electrical boxes and whenever the police are called, we are told by the prostitutes that “they wont do anything to us coz they f****** us”.. Oh and definitely nothing gets done to them. We forced to live with whatever our Government allows.. Such a disgraceful scene