Padel, the racket sport that has gained popularity across South Africa and the world, has some Durban residents up in arms over the noise it makes.
While business moguls Robert Hersov and the Wiese family are associated with the more established chains Africa Padel and Virgin Padel, respectively, mainly built near malls and country clubs, several independent courts are causing a headache in Durban's Morningside, Overport and Berea suburbs.
Sandwiched between blocks of flats and residential homes — with the latest one being built at a school next to a hospital — residents have complained about the noise generated by the game, a hybrid of tennis and squash and regarded as the fastest-growing sport globally.
The NexPadel courts at the NMJ Islamic Centre in Morningside are literally causing neighbour Usha Neerputh's blood pressure to soar. Neerputh, 57, one of three immediate neighbours, said life changed when the courts were erected in July last year.
She said the games start about 6am and go on until 10.30pm on weekdays — and past midnight on the weekends — causing intolerable noise. “The racket is not like a tennis racket. When it hits the ball it makes a popping noise like a gunshot,” she said.
When [the racket] hits the ball it makes a noise like a gunshot. The vulgar language that comes out of there makes it worse
— ratepayer Usha Neerputh
“The noise and vulgar language that comes out of there makes it worse. It gets worse on weekends or public holidays when they have functions or tournaments. Sometimes they have pop-up stores and make announcements on speakers if orders are ready or to call on the next opponents.”
Neerputh said the disturbance affected her health and that of her epileptic brother. “I’m taking a muscle relaxant and sleeping tablets at night now.”
Another resident, a pensioner who didn't want to be named, said the noise was particularly bad from his bedroom. “I can’t live like this because I have a heart condition, I have four stents. My wife has high blood pressure as well.”
He said he was getting minimal sleep as the games finish late at night, while he has to wake up around 3am to pray. He often shouts at players to lower the noise.
The three neighbours have voiced their grievances with various community leaders, the municipality and now the eThekwini Ratepayers’ Association. They contacted the city’s land use management unit when they saw the facility was preparing ground for two more courts, the work on which has now stopped.
Meanwhile, residents at nearby San Felice complex are trying to put a stop to a new court under construction opposite them at Ridge Park College in Overport, next to the McCord Eye Hospital. Construction, which started in February, was stayed temporarily but restarted at the end of August.
The body corporate has complained to the school, the municipality and the provincial health and education departments.
In an exchange of 26 emails, the residents point out the deviations and illegal aspects of the courts with respect to the National Environmental and Management Act (Nema) on noise regulation of the Environmental Conservation Act. They also highlighted their objections based on medical conditions of elderly residents.
They said considering the hours of operation during the week and later at weekends, the courts would also affect the hospital and asked the health department to join their campaign to “bring an end to this harmful activity”.
The body corporate suggested an alternative venue on the school property, which doesn't affect residents, but this wasn’t considered. It commissioned a noise assessment from Don Mottian of Karden Acoustics after their request to the municipality to conduct one was ignored.
Comparative readings from NexPadel and Smash Padel, which is built between two apartment blocks in Darby Road less than 5km away, showed the sound ranges around 60-80 decibels or more. This surpasses the maximum threshold of 57 decibels recommended by South African National Standards for suburban areas.
Mottian recommended the court should not operate from the school, considering the hospital patients, the proximity of elderly residents in the residential complex, and the hours of operation late into the night.
Municipality acting head for pollution control and risk management Phathu Raphalalani said the complaint was “complex” as it was based on a padel court that doesn’t exist. He said the city would conduct an investigation once completed but it could not halt the construction.
The city didn’t respond to other residents’ objections. The education department said the matter was with their legal adviser.
A 57-year-old retired lawyer living in the complex said a person’s cognitive abilities require peace, quiet and a good night’s rest to function at the optimum level. He said if this was disrupted by noise, it would affect people’s physical and mental health.
He said his 82-year-old mother-in-law, who is permanently bedridden and suffers from Alzheimer’s , lives with him. “This noise, persistently during the day, especially the ‘gunshots’ at high decibels will startle her. She has a heart condition, too, so these shocks will affect her heart.”
He said the body corporate was prepared to take legal action.
Neerputh blamed the municipality for allowing the courts in residential areas. “This goes back to the council. These people are doing what the council is not supposed to let them do — but they do it because the council is allowing it.”
At a meeting on Wednesday between the developers of the padel courts and the aggrieved residents, the eThekwini Ratepayers' Movement served as mediator. Its chair, Asad Gafar, said there were various complaints but it was mainly about the noise. “The complainants want the developers to put in some sort of soundproofing because the noise is excessive,” Gafar said.
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