If you live in Cape Town, the Muslim athaan, or ‘call to prayer’, is a familiar daily sound.

The average Capetonian embraces this as part what makes Cape Town, Cape Town.

But there’s always one. One person who, when they aren’t telling kids to get off their lawn, will find a way to complain about something – anything really, as long as they have an excuse to write a ‘strongly-worded’ letter to City officials.

Earlier this month a City of Cape Town environmental health official sent a letter to the Masjidus Sauligeen mosque in Bayview, saying there had been a complaint about a “noise nuisance” every time the call to prayer was played through the speakers, reports News24.

There was some confusion about the complaint to the City because the mosque’s Imam said that they had immediately decreased the volume of the speakers after someone complained.

The mosque was advised in the notice to “discontinue or cause to be discontinued the alleged noise nuisance, caused by the loudspeakers”.

It was also advised to submit a “noise management plan” by an accredited acoustic engineer within 21 days.

People from all religions on social media were outraged at the complaint and the City’s handling thereof.

The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC), representatives of the mosque and City officials met on Tuesday afternoon to try and find a solution.

Area South Mayoral Committee Member, Councillor Zahid Badroodien, reiterated at the meeting that the intention had never been to stop the call to prayer.

“It was agreed at the meeting that City Health’s Specialised Noise Control Unit will attempt to conduct sound level readings within the next 10 days, weather permitting, to assist the mosque in finding measures to mitigate the sound levels,” he said on Wednesday.

He further explained that the City dealt with all noise complaints in the same way. Still, it doesn’t look good, especially in light of the way that the protest against gentrification in the Bo-Kaap was handled.

A message for the “neighbour” who lodged the “noise nuisance” complaint – get a hobby, start a book club, or buy some noise-cancelling headphones.

[source:news24]