Cape Town - It’s all-systems go for the “17de Nuwejaar” minstrels’ parade on Saturday, despite ongoing tensions between the minstrel organisations and the City of Cape Town about how the event has been organised.
A furore over the Cape Cultural and Carnival Committee’s alleged late payment of service providers almost scuppered the parade – which has already been postponed several times.
But on Thursday the committee’s Kevin Momberg proudly displayed the event permit, which for the first time gives the minstrel associations control over the event.
And while there appears to be an uneasy truce between the minstrels and the municipality just hours before about 40 000 klopse are expected to take to the streets, Momberg lashed out at Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille at a press conference at the Cape Minstrel Association’s Ottery headquarters.
“We cannot understand why the mayor felt it necessary to show this much interest in the dealings between us as the event organiser and our service providers.”
He said the committee was handed the event at a late stage and with a budget “considerably less” than what the city had spent the previous year when it had used an external event organiser. The city gave R2 million to the committee to organise its events, as well as R1.65 million for city services.
Momberg referred to the “irresponsible” press release, issued by the mayor’s office on Wednesday, which claimed that the committee had failed to pay critical service providers, such as Sanitech. He said the comments were made despite an earlier meeting with Brett Herron, as the acting mayor, where it was agreed that payments would be settled by close of business on Wednesday.
In her statement, De Lille warned that the committee would get its permit for tomorrow’s event only if it provided proof of payment for all its service providers.
Attached to the press statement was a letter from Sanitech about an outstanding payment of R101 101 and a further R57 000 for the event. Sanitech is contracted to provide toilets, an on-site supervisor and pump truck on the day.
De Lille was unequivocal that the city could not be held liable if the event – which has been postponed three times already – did not take place on Saturday. And the city would take steps to reclaim the R4m it had invested in the event. “If this event does not take place, the committee will disappoint the people of Cape Town and be liable to repay the city’s support funds.”
She also emphasised that the committee’s access to city funds had run dry.
“I would also like to make it clear that the city will not provide any more money for this year’s minstrel parade.”
The nonpayment issue was resolved within hours of the statement being released, and mayoral spokeswoman Zara Nicholson said yesterday the city was satisfied that all service providers had been paid.
But the committee says “there was an air of sabotage” in much of the metro’s dealings with the minstrels.
“We see the mayor’s actions as a true reflection of her non-commitment to the success of the minstrel road march,” said Momberg.
Neither the city nor the province had confirmed they would send representatives to the march, but the national Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa had confirmed his attendance.
“One gets the distinct impression that failure is the outcome wished for this organisation, our troupes and our communities.”
The minstrels associations appear determined to abide by the conditions of the city’s event permit, and Momberg has promised that not only will the event start on time at noon, but that the troupes will be done well before the city’s 11.59pm deadline.
The city has confirmed that it has granted a permit for Saturday’s minstrel parade. “We trust that the event will take place and that proceedings will take place in a safe and responsible manner. We wish the Cape Cultural and Carnival Committee the best of luck with the event as well as all the troupes taking part in the parade,” said Nicholson. She rejected the committee’s claims of sabotage. “This is completely untrue as the city has done all it can to assist the committee to ensure that they host a successful event.
“We have also expressed our support for the event and kept to our end of the agreement.”
Momberg said that despite the recent dispute about service providers, the committee would continue to work with the city.
“The city are the custodians and we have to work with them because we have the interests of thousands of people on the Cape Flats at heart. We won’t stay away. We hope they have that forgiving nature, because we obviously have that forgiving nature and we want to sit around the table again with them.”
But he added that he hoped the city would treat the minstrels with more respect and provide the same level support as it did for events such as the Cape Town Cycle Tour and the Cape Town Carnival.
Meanwhile, Momberg apologised to communities for the delay in this year’s minstrel parade. “We will fight tooth and nail to keep this tradition and culture part of our communities.”
Cape Argus