Noise pollution

While everyday sounds are not always disturbing or a health risk, sometimes noise can be so loud that it becomes a serious problem. Street life, music, barking dogs – these are all potential noise pollutants around our homes.

As a Cape Town resident, you are allowed to report noise in your area. Find out how by following the City Connect link below.

For urgent matters due to extreme noise disturbances, it’s best to call our emergency numbers below.

Public Emergency Communications Centre (PECC)

Telephone:
021 480 7700 

Twitter:
@pecc107

You can also go straight to our service requests application and fill out a service request form online. This will take a little longer to finalise, but is trackable and will be sent to the right department.   

What you can do to minimise noise

As a community member, you can do your bit to prevent noise in your neighbourhood by following these guidelines:

• Keep the level of stereo sound systems, TVs, radios and tape players at a level where they cannot be heard from the street, and always keep the bass level turned as low as possible.
• Avoid hosting “house parties”. It is difficult to get guests to cooperate when they have been drinking. It is better to rather hire a hall or restaurant
• Don’t hoot when meeting or leaving family or friends, and don’t slam car doors or rev engines at night.
• Don’t leave dogs alone for long periods - rather have a friend or neighbour check on them.
• Don’t let your dogs bark - if they do, attend to the cause immediately, and keep them inside at night.
• Don’t carry out noisy DIY jobs in a manner that will cause inconvenience to the neighbours. At least inform them if it is work that must take place and then do this work within reasonable hours.
• Ensure that there is another “key holder” for car and home alarms.
• Make sure that your swimming pool pump and other home equipment is operating silently or acoustically confine the noise.
• Keep noise levels down at all times.

What is noise?

We have also compiled a What is Noise? Handbook which you can download from our documents section. It is intended to help us all work together to control uncomfortable noise levels in our communities.

Noise legislation

Legislation is for the effective prevention of various forms of noise pollution.

• The Environment Conservation Act which provides noise regulations.
• The Road Traffic Act, controlling noise levels related to road traffic.
• The Civil Aviation Act prevents nuisance in relation to air navigation or aircraft-related issues.
• The Occupational Health and Safety Act ensures the safety of persons in the workplace.

Document downloads

• 1. Western Cape 2013 Noise Control Regulations

     20/06/2013, Regulation - 138.1 KB

  2. What Is Noise? Handbook

     01/01/2016, Handbook - 539.3 KB