May 20, 2025

To - Mr. Jacob Mafume, Mayor and Councilor for Ward 17 

City of Harare, Town House 

Julius Nyerere Way, HARARE

Cc:  Mrs. Marian Mverechena

District Officer, Mount Pleasant District office

The Chase, Mount Pleasant, Harare

PETITION: NOISE AND OTHER NUISANCES FROM SPORTS CLUBS IN MOUNT PLEASANT 

(i)  Mount pleasant Sports Club and (ii) First Capital Bank Sports Club

We, the undersigned residents of Vainona, Northwood and Mount Pleasant, request that the city of Harare take effective action to stop the noise and other nuisances emanating from the businesses operating at Mount Pleasant Sports Club at No. 40 Bargate Road Mount Pleasant Harare and the First Capital Bank Sports Club Norfolk Road, Harare. 

1.     Mount Pleasant Sports Club – this club was established to provide recreational facilities for the community in the neighborhood, and the type of businesses that are established there should take account of the fact that they are located in a residential area. However, there are businesses that appear to be operating as night clubs, outdoor cinemas, and concert venues at the facility. The location of such businesses in a residential area is inconsiderate of the families that live in the neighborhood. We are unable to enjoy the indoor and outdoor spaces at our homes, and in addition, property values are going down due to the noise and nuisances emanating from the nightclub businesses. We are forced to endure loud music at all hours of the day. We highly doubt the owners and staff of the relevant businesses operating at Mount Pleasant Sports Club would enjoy living next to a place as loud as this. In addition, meetings have been held in the past few years between members of the Committee that runs the Mount Pleasant Sports Club, residents and representative of the City of Harare including on 15th November 2023, however the agreed remedial action was not implemented. Some of the nuisances that we have endured due to the activities at Mount Pleasant Sports Club include:

a.     Excessive noise, sound and vibration - The is excessive noise disturbances with bass occurring during both weeknights and weekends, for the past several years on a regular basis with disregard and disrespect for the peace and wellbeing of all residents in the surrounding areas, including Vainona, Northwood and Mount Pleasant.  

b.     Traffic congestion – there is excessive and disorderly traffic on Bargate road especially during weekends.

c.     Parking and littering on verges of the residential properties neighboring Mount Pleasant Sports Club.

d.     Rude and harassing behavior of patrons towards passing motorists from the patrons of these businesses.

e.     Drunk driving of patrons entering or exiting the Mount Pleasant Sports Club.

f.      Devaluation of the values of residents’ property due the above issues. 

Many residents, have placed many calls to the Marlborough police station, and to the Mount Pleasant District Office of the Harare City Council reporting the loud music with vibrating and pounding bass, and the other nuisances. However, this is to no avail as these have all continued unabated despite our repeated complaints. The businesses that are responsible for the noise Mount Pleasant Sports Club are not registered as nightclub and cannot be registered as such since the venue is open air and not a sound proof building as is required by the law for a nightclub licence. 

2.     First Capital Bank Sports Club – similarly, this club was established to provide recreational facilities for the community in the neighborhood, and the type of activities and events that are organized and held there should take account of the fact that they are taking place in a residential area. However, there are a number of activities and events that appear to concerts that have been organized and held at the facility. The holding of such events in a residential area is inconsiderate of the families that live in the neighborhood. The excessive noise levels in our residential community from concerts at the First Capital Bank Sprots Club, cause significant disruption and affect our well-being. The noise disrupts our ability as individuals and families to sleep, work, relax, and engage in personal events inside and outside of our residences. It is also impacting our real estate values, as property values are going down due to the noise and nuisances emanating from the events at the club. We are forced to endure loud music at all hours of the day and night when the concerts are held. We highly doubt that First Capital Bank and its staff would enjoy living or having their offices or banks next to a place as loud as this.

3.     Nuisances - Some of the nuisances that we have endured due to the activities at First Capital Bank Sports Club include:

a.     Excessive noise, sound and vibration - The is excessive noise disturbances with bass occurring during on the weekends when concerts are held with disregard and disrespect for the peace and wellbeing of all residents in the surrounding areas, including Northwood, Mount Pleasant and Emerald Hill.  

b.     Traffic congestion – there is excessive and disorderly traffic especially on Norfolk Road when concerts are held.

c.     Parking and littering on verges of the residential properties neighboring the Club.

d.     Rude and harassing behavior of patrons towards passing motorists from the patrons of these concerts.

e.     Drunk driving of patrons entering or exiting the First Capital Bank Sports Club.

f.      Damage caused to residential property due to drunken drivers smashing into walls 

g.     Devaluation of the values of residents’ property due the above issues. 

On Saturday 17 May 2025, a very loud concert that was advertised in the media by StarFM as Episode 2 of Càrpé DiEm: DJs & Decks! was held at the club. The event started in the afternoon and went on until 11.20pm in the night. Many residents, placed many calls to the Marlborough police station, reporting the loud music with vibrating and pounding bass, and the other nuisances, however these all continued unabated until 11.20pm. It was very inconsiderate for the First Capital Bank Sports Club to permit such an event at a venue which is not designed for such as it is in a residential area. In addition, the patrons of the concert left the neighborhood extremely littered with garbage including (broken) beer bottles, snack packets, plastic containers, used condoms, etc. Some concert patrons also defecated in the open along Norfolk Road.

4.     Petition - An excerpt from Noise and Health published by Harvard Medicine says that "...noise pollution not only drives hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypersensitivity to sound, but can cause or exacerbate cardiovascular disease; type 2 diabetes; sleep disturbances; stress; mental health and cognition problems, including memory impairment and attention deficits; childhood learning delays; and low birth weight." We the undersigned residents of Vainona, Northwood and Mount Pleasant are therefore petitioning the City of Harare for the following: 

a.     Mount Pleasant Sports Club – 

·       Ensure that the businesses that operate there adhere to the terms of their licences which we believe do not include licence to operate as night clubs or concert venues

·       Ensure that the businesses that operate at Mount Pleasant Sports Club adhere to the relevant laws and regulations on noise control in residential areas.

·       If the businesses that operate at Mount Pleasant Sports Club are licensed to operate as nightclubs and concert venues, we request the City of Harare to immediately cancel or modify the licences because such businesses are incompatible for locating in a residential area.  

b.     First Capital Bank Sports Club

·       Ensure that the First Capital Bank Sports Club adheres to the terms of their lease or license which we believe do not include permission to operate as a concert venue

·       Ensure that the First Capital Bank Sports Club adheres to the relevant laws and regulations on noise control in residential areas.

If the First Capital Bank Sports Club is permitted or licensed to operate as a concert venue, we request the City of Harare to immediately cancel or modify the licences because such events are incompatible for locating in a residential area.