Durban - eThekwini Municipality has confirmed that a film crew, who were shooting in the Westville area last week and left behind a prop believed to be a “dead body”, did not have a permit.
This comes after Mobi-Claw911, the SAPS, Metro Police and paramedics responded to the scene with the belief that there was a body floating in a river in the area.
Municipal spokesperson Lindiwe Khuzwayo said the City was not aware of the shoot as the film crew never applied for a permit.
In addition, Khuzwayo said the film crew did not inform the Durban Film Office of their intention to shoot a production in eThekwini.
“We were made aware of the production when residents called Metro Police to report what appeared to be a dead body floating in a river. This was later discovered to be a prop,”said Khuzwayo.
Khuzwayo said the City has a Film By-law that facilitates and regulates filming within the eThekwini municipal area.
“The by-law provides for the issuing of a film permit, ensures the use of municipal services during filming and that the film permit holder, location manager or nominated official conducts themselves accordingly,” she said.
The City asked production companies looking to film in eThekwini to apply through the Durban Film Office.
The application for a film shoot must include, but is not limited to, submission of the following documents:
(a) Film permit application form.
(b) Public liability insurance.
(c) Signed copy of the location code of conduct.
(d) Indemnity form.
(e) Notification letter.
(f) Proof of payment of a fee referred hereto in subsection (3) if applicable.
(g) Any other document or information that may be requested by the Durban Film Office depending on the nature of the shoot.
Detailing how the incident unfolded, Mobi-Claw911 operations director Wynand Laatz, said Mobi-Claw911 received a panic activation from a client in the Westville area above the Palmiet River of what looked like a body wrapped up in a blanket lying in the river.
Laatz said the Mobi-Claw911 management was on the scene first and established the details. Role players were activated in terms of search and rescue from Netcare 911, the SAPS Search and Rescue as well as Metro Police.
“Services that attended managed to abseil down to what looked like a body. It was established that it’s not a body but blankets wrapped up to look like a body,” he said.
According to Laatz, after further investigation, it was established that there was a camera crew in the area who were shooting and left some of the props behind.
He said SAPS Westville will be investigating the matter and necessary steps will be taken against the camera crews.
“It's important to note that the waste of resources was uncalled for, for this call out -- various responders, search and rescue, paramedics, police and volunteers -- where the services could have been utilised for an actual real emergency. That's why we do not support any forms of illegal video recording,” said Laatz.
Laatz added that residents, including young children in an adjacent house, were traumatised by what seemed to be a dead body lying in the river.
Police have been approached for comment.
