An open letter was published in Kormorant 15 August 2024 (page 9). The letter was also published on the Kormorant website (https://kormorant.co.za/open-letter-to-the-kormorant/) The letter was signed by “A frustrated and heartbroken Harties resident”. The identity of the writer is known to Kormorant and was withheld per his request.

The content of the letter deals with the long-standing problem of constant noise pollution by foreshore venues at Hartbeespoort Dam. Kormorant receive complaints on a regular basis from community members and has reported on this issue in various articles over the last few years.

The frustrations of the community were clearly identified in the eight paragraphs of the letter and is consistent with the complaints received by Kormorant:

1. The destructive impact of the constant, blaring music;
2. The issuing of leases by the Department of Water and Sanitation to establishments that disregards the natural environment;
3. The sale of alcohol to the general public on DWS land;
4. The detrimental effect on property values in the area;
5. The proximity to the UNESCO-proclaimed Magaliesberg Biosphere and the Magaliesberg Protected Environment;
6. The relentless noise compounded by uncontrolled boating activities beyond regulated hours;
7. The blatant disregard for the guidelines set out by the DWS;
8. The local SAPS and the Madibeng municipal council appear either indifferent or unable to enforce these laws.

I received a telephone call from Mr. Mmeli Mdluli on Sunday 18 August 2024. He asked if he could reply to the letter and I answered that he is “more than welcome and most certainly has the right to reply. We agreed that he will contact me before the end of Tuesday 20 August 2024.

I received an email from Mr. Mdluli on Tuesday morning and replied via WhatsApp:

“Hi Mmeli – I received your email – can I ask you to reduce it to 650 words – the same as the letter in last week’s Kormorant. It is too long to publish in its current format. Thank you – Deon” He replied: “Ohhhh boy – How much time do i have?” Me: “I’m leaving the space open – If I can have it by this evening please?” He: “Ok. That’s enough time.”

I received a call from Mr. Hartley Ngoato on Tuesday afternoon, in sort demanding that I publish the full reply.  I explained to him that it will be technically impossible to publish the reply of 3200 words as it will take up more than two pages in the paper. I again requested that he shortens the reply to 650 words and as a compromise I will publish the full content of the reply on Kormorant’s website – with a link in the published letter in the paper.

Mr. Ngoato then offered to pay to publish his full reply in the paper. I replied that it will be unethical to accept any monies and again made the original offer.

Mr. Ngoato again refused this offer and replied that he will take this matter further. I offered to supply him with the contact details of the Press Ombudsman. He declined and the conversation ended.

Kormorant subscribes to the Press Code of the Press Council of South Africa and believe that we always act within these guidelines. We have a role as a community newspaper to be the mouthpiece of the local community of Hartbeespoort.

We have taken these aspects into consideration when we published the original letter of the Kosmos community and by our offer of reply to Mr. Ngoato.