SOUND POLLUTION: Stadium noise and nuisance put Nelson Mandela Bay residents’ rights on the line

The Nelson Mandela Bay metro’s environmental health unit has objected to events on the lawns of Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium because of noise complaints from nearby communities.

Yet a sold-out All White Sing Along Picnic is scheduled to take place there on Saturday from 10.0am to 10.30pm. The stadium is managed by the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA), a municipal entity responsible for hiring out the venue to generate revenue.

For years, residents living near the stadium, built for the 2010 Fifa World Cup, have complained about prolonged loud music and rubbish left in surrounding streets after events. In December 2024, their frustration prompted a Save Us From the Noise! petition that called for action over noise and litter affecting nearby communities.

The disapproval of the event at the stadium was communicated in a meeting held on 11 May 2026, which was also attended by the stadium management.

Despite pushback from the environmental health unit, the All White event is scheduled to be held at the lawns on Saturday, 24 October, with hundreds of patrons expected to attend.

The objection was again communicated to the relevant officials on 16 October, when it was clearly stated in an email that no permission had been granted for the event by the unit due to the noise complaints.

When asked by Daily Maverick why the event was proceeding despite the environmental health unit’s objection, metro spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya did not directly address the question, saying instead that the City continued to monitor noise levels and engage with stadium management and other stakeholders to minimise the impact on surrounding communities.

Soyaya said the City aimed to minimise the impact of stadium events on surrounding communities while preserving the venue’s role in tourism, entertainment and economic activity.

Noise management

He said the municipality would strengthen noise management measures in line with relevant by-laws, regulations and public safety requirements.

“As part of these efforts, stadium management will test additional noise mitigation measures during the upcoming Saturday event, subject to the approval of a noise permit by the metro. These measures include repositioning the stage to face the stadium bowl, angling speakers downwards, installing sound-absorbing material behind the stage and monitoring sound levels at three locations.”

The findings will inform the planning and management of future events, he said.

Soyaya said the City recognised the importance of balancing residents’ quality of life with the economic and tourism benefits of hosting events.

“While noise cannot be entirely eliminated at an active event venue, it must be responsibly managed, and its impact on surrounding communities minimised.”

DA ward 5 councillor Terri Stander wrote to officials at the environmental health division after receiving an event notice sent to all councillors about the event.

In the letter, she raised concerns about the noise pollution that would come from the event, which residents have long been complaining about. 

‘No approval given’

“When I asked the Public Health directorate how they could approve such an event considering historic community complaints, I was informed that no approval was given by environmental health for this event.

“[The] environmental health [department] reported that they communicated their position on applications for events held on the grounds outside the stadium in a meeting held with stadium management on 11 May 2026.”

Stander indicated that she received the checklist for air pollution and noise control for open-air events, which specified that proof of ward councillor notification and consent was required.

She responded, stating that the Ward 5 community objected to the event on the basis of noise and duration.

“The Ward 5 community wants the stadium to attract events and generate revenue, provided these events do not infringe on their Section 24 constitutional right to an environment that is not harmful to their health.

“For years, the community has endured unbearable noise and unreasonably long programmes (a few have been 14 hours long), with many events taking place on Sundays and family days, like Father’s Day.”

Stander said repeated petitions and pleas from residents and her office for complaints to be addressed had yielded no response or corrective action. 

She said the MBDA and the metro should develop and enforce a clear policy to ensure events comply with the law, remain safe and clean, and do not place an unreasonable burden on nearby communities.

“The community should not have to choose between a successful stadium and their quality of life,” Stander said. 

Last year, DA supporters picked up litter around the stadium after the Patriotic Alliance hosted its national rally, with some raising questions about who was responsible for cleaning around the stadium after an event.

‘Constructive meeting’

MBDA spokesperson Nicole Klawkow said the stadium’s commercial and safety and security teams met representatives of the public health directorate and councillor Stander on Thursday, 22 October for a constructive and productive engagement on noise mitigation measures.

“All parties are in agreement that a series of measures will be implemented to monitor and minimise noise levels, both for the upcoming event and at future events.”

Klawkow said sound levels would be monitored continuously throughout the event, with readings communicated to the sound engineers every 30 minutes.

“This will enable timely adjustments, where necessary, to ensure that noise levels remain within the permitted limits.

“The MBDA is committed to ensure compliance with all public health requirements at all times whilst ensuring the sustainability and commercial viability of the stadium. Every event that the MBDA hosts brings in direct and indirect benefits to various stakeholders including artists, traders, hospitality, and job creation for the hundreds of casual workers,” said Klawkow.

‘Contradictory conditions’

Stander confirmed the meeting, but said it produced no substantive agreements. Instead, she said, officials outlined the measures the municipality planned to use to mitigate noise at Saturday’s event and future events.

She said the meeting had also highlighted the financial pressure to hold events on the stadium lawns. Hiring the stadium interior costs R350,000, she said, putting it beyond the reach of some smaller organisers.

“Ultimately we want events held at the stadium because it’s suffering a R20-million loss,” Stander said. But she argued that the metro needed to review and standardise its noise permit, which she said contained contradictory conditions.

“One states you may make noise, then another says if you make noise your amplifier will be disconnected. We need the permit to be standardised so it is clear to the public and it is aware about what is and isn’t allowed.”

Stander has also called for a sound contour map to establish sound pressure levels, frequency distribution and the area affected by events.

She said an event held on Father’s Day (21 June 2026) lasted 16 hours, prompting complaints from elderly residents and students whose windows had vibrated from the noise. DM