Publications
Partners
Cape Town – Linden residents and restaurant owners are fuming over M-Net's latest Big Brother season with noise complaints that have been lodged over Big Brother Naija by people living in 4th Avenue close and next to the production's camera house.
South Africans living and working close to the Red Pepper Pictures' studio space are wishing it were rather filmed in Lagos.
M-Net's production on Big Brother Africa and Big Brother Mzansi previously also lead to noise and parking complaints since the show was moved from Sasani Studios.
Residents were upset and complained about loud music during irregular hours, screaming, back-up generator noise, traffic congestion and an increase in strangers into the neighbourhood, with the producers who promised in 2015 to take care of it.
For Big Brother Naija, the producers again said that "every effort will be made to minimise disturbances", but since the new season started two weeks ago on 22 January running 24/7 for 11 weeks, noise and parking complaints were once again received over the Big Brother Naija production.
Ward councillor Nicole van Dyk told Channel24 that the complaints over Big Brother Naija so far are not as many as in the past. "There have been complaints but the number has not been overwhelming".
"Big Brother definitely has made an effort to quiet down their studios and the house itself. In total I've received 4 complaints since it began."
"There were very few complaints about the last season; almost nothing. Last year there was almost nothing. I live in 4th Avenue and I was nervous to move there because of the noise. I heard nothing and I haven't heard much this year. I don't live right next door to the house, so that's the difference," said Van Dyk.
"I've received 4 complaints myself," she says. "Big Brother and Red Pepper I do believe have made improvements. We took a tour of the house, we saw a lot of the sound-proofing they've put in."
"I think some of the struggles come when the housemates are in the garden, but generally their challenge room is right in the middle of the house and it is completely soundproof. So Big Brother definitely has made the effort to do it".
MultiChoice and M-Net were asked about the noise and parking complaints surrounding Big Brother Naija. In response to a media enquiry M-Net says it "is aware of the recent noise concerns raised by residents and business entities near the Big Brother house".
"Please be assured that the producers, Endemol Shine Africa, have already taken steps to reduce the noise levels so that that both the residents, surrounding businesses and the Big Brother production can continue to reside and work amicably alongside each other."
READ NEXT: Nigerians furious that Big Brother Naija is filmed in SA
