Update
KNYSNA NEWS - The owner of a chesa nyama business run at a building in White Location named Emlanjene Lifestyle, denies that his establishment emits an unreasonably high level of noise late at night over weekends, particularly on Sunday nights.
Thami Duna was responding to complaints by some residents in Upper Town, Ward 10, Knysna, that noise emanating from the building had kept them up at night.
The Knysna-Plett Herald reported on 30 May this year that some residents in Upper Town had very little sleep between Friday 24 and Sunday 26 May as "music was blasting from an establishment in White Location late into the night", and that it was found the sound came from Emlanjene Lifestyle, in Sisulu Street.
Complaints had been made to Knysna Police Station, and police management were quoted as saying that the SAPS "noted the concern from residents and want to assure the public that all complaints are regarded as serious".
After-party
Duna said: "On 25 May (Saturday) there was an after-party after a tour at the chesa nyama - about 40 people came. We closed at 11.30pm, and after that there was no noise.
"We had a 'Sunday chill' on May 26 - we started at about 10am and people brought their drinks, because I'm not selling liquor here, only meat; we closed at 10pm."
His business operated from 10am on Saturdays, and closed at midnight, but "sometimes when there aren't people (at the chesa nyama) I close it at 10pm, and when it is cold I close it at 10pm".
He sometimes ran the business on Fridays, "but mainly on a Saturday and a Sunday - on Sunday 10pm is the normal time I close, because people go to work on Mondays".
Stumbling blocks
"This (complaints) is a personal issue. I don't want to go on about this, but there are some people who are racist towards us," Duna said.
"I'm putting something on the table for my family - these complaints are stumbling blocks for me.
"Why did the people (Upper Town residents) not come to me and tell me about their complaint, and we could work it out together, so that they don't have to go to the police and the newspaper?
"Most people, after reading the paper, are scared to come to my chesa nyama, because the police said this thing (allegedly unreasonable level of noise) won't happen again.
"So it's a threat to my business."
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