Cape Town - Spring has sprung. But for the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers Union (Sactwu), the season has brought with it uncertainty - the union’s annual Spring Queen and Fashion Pageant is still without a venue.
With less than three months to go, the union is struggling to find an appropriate indoor venue to accommodate the more than 6 000 clothing industry workers and business leaders who are likely to attend the event.
This is after the City of Cape Town rented the Good Hope Centre to Film Africa until December.
The pageant has up to 48 competitors in the final round who will be battling it out for title of Spring Queen. The women are aged between 18 and 40.
The event forms part of the union’s bi-local campaign, which promotes locally manufactured clothing, footwear, leather and textile products.
The union was hoping to host its 40th anniversary at the centre on November 14 this year, as it has done every year for decades.
Even booking a year in advance did not secure a place for the union to host its most popular event, said Sactwu spokesman Fachmy Abrahams.
“This is an event that gives the ordinary clothing machinist an opportunity to sit next to the managing director of a company as they cheer on the people representing their product,” he said.
When asked if the union had tried alternative venues, Abrahams said: “No appropriate indoor venues have been located.
“We are trying to make lemonade out of lemons without giving the city an opportunity to block us.”
On Monday, the Cape Argus visited the Good Hope Centre which was a hive of activity as Film Africa crews built the sets for a new four-part mini-series about the discovery of Egyptian boy king Tutankhamun’s tomb.
Mayco member for Tourism, Events and Economic Development Garreth Bloor said the centre was being rented to Film Africa but would not reveal the monthly cost, saying: “The facility has been hired in accordance with the applicable tariff policy.”
He added that the mini-series would be filmed on site.
Leasing agreements for the Good Hope Centre was put on hold earlier this year so that the city could conduct a public participation process.
On Monday, Bloor told the Cape Argus that this fell in line with the Municipal Assets Transfer Regulations. Yesterday, Bloor said that hiring does not require public participation.
The city’s decision to rent the Good Hope Centre to Film Africa had raised the ire of local vendors like Sactwu, which said the city had no regard for “loyal organisations that had supported it throughout the years”.
Early last month, the Cape Malay Choir Board, Sactwu, the Bo-Kaap Civic Association and the District 6 Working Committee launched the RAAKWYS! Campaign to oppose the city’s plans to lease the building.
They are planning to mobilise more than 20 000 people to march against the city’s plans.
Cape Argus