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Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo

Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent
BULAWAYO Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo has said the ban of shows at the Amphitheatre was not for Harare artistes only but for all concerts, church services and activites that take place well into the wee hours of the night.

The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has reportedly banned the holding of shows at the Amphitheatre because of noise. Harare acts in particular Jah Prayzah, Winky D and Alick Macheso were fingered as the noisiest of the lot according to BCC sources.

The Mayor, who is also Ward 3 councillor, said he had received complaints from residents in the surrounding area that falls under his ward.

Ward 3 covers Suburbs, Hume Park, Killarney, Waterlea, Orange Groove, Queens Park East, Romney Park, Sunnyside, Paddonhurst, Kumalo, Glengarry, Parklands, Northlea,Woodville and Mahatshula.

“We have received complaints from residents of Suburbs in particular who say the noise when there’re shows at the Bulawayo Amphitheatre is too much. The complaints aren’t confined to music shows, but also churches that hold all night prayers,” said Clr Moyo.

According to sources at BCC, shows, concerts or church services can now be held in the afternoon with a 10PM curfew.

Clr Moyo said in the past they had tried to talk to promoters to keep the noise levels down but to no avail.

“The people who hold shows there aren’t considerate because when residents complain about noise levels we try to ask them to reduce.

“When we receive complaints about noise we send our officers there to talk to them to keep it down. They didn’t listen unfortunately.

“Let the noise be directed at those who are at the Amphitheatre who want to hear it, not someone who lives all the way in Ascot,” said Clr Moyo.

While acknowledging that the venue was built as a centre of entertainment, Clr Moyo said they had to take into consideration residents’ complaints.

The Bulawayo Amphitheatre was the brain child of the late BCC Director of Housing and Community Services, Isaiah Magagula after former Director of Engineering Services, Engineeer George Mlilo, visited South Africa with former Town Clerk Mike Ndubiwa. Eng Mlilo took pictures of amphitheatres there and gave them to Magagula when he returned to Bulawayo. Magagula took some of the ideas and initiated the construction of the Amphitheatre.

@bonganinkunzi