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March 16, 2015


Hooting taxis driving you mad?

A client asked:

Could you please advise us as to what we must do to enforce the laws against noise pollution with regard to the taxis which stop at Hyde Park Shopping Centre? We are incessantly hounded by the noise of their hooting taxis which is entirely unnecessary and totally unacceptable.

I referred her to Danie Geldenhuys, who heads up Environmental Health (Pollution Control), City of Johannesburg (Region A), Telephone: (011) 025 8020, Cell: 083 467 6627 and E-mail: danieg@joburg.org.za

Danie pointed out that it would be more appropriate to report the matter to the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department for investigation in terms of illegal ranking and/or the use of hooters not for emergency proposes but to solicit customers causing a noise nuisance.

Although noise pollution is one of the Pollution Control Environmental Health Section’s functions it normally deals with point source noise pollution issues (a specific person or entity causing the noise) rather than diffuse noise pollution such as sound generated at a taxi rank and if the offence has not been committed in the presence of the Pollution Control Officer, only on strength of affidavits from the complainants.  

Affidavits in turn must address a specific incident committed at a specific time by a specific person or entity.

Kindly refer to this link in this regard:


I would suggest that the matter be referred to Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department for investigation in terms of illegal ranking and/or the use of hooters not for emergency proposes but to solicit customers causing a noise nuisance, prohibited in terms of Regulation 9(i) of the Gauteng Noise Control Regulations and Road Safety Legislation, maybe via the Ward Councillor at the 10+ Ward Meeting.  

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