Cape Town - Black- owned promoter company, Cape Town Grand Prix SA (CTGPSA), has accused the City of hijacking intellectual property for the Formula E event set to take place in Cape Town in February.
The company said their first engagement with the City to bring the sport to Cape Town was in 2007, and in 2019 an official bid proposal was submitted.
According to CTGPSA, they were alongside e-Movement in the running to host the Formula E Grand Prix event, but were snubbed by the City in a trend that had started to emerge.
The City, however, denies snubbing CTGPSA as discussions held with the promoter “centred around Formula 1, and Formula E was never part of the discussion”.
CTGPSA spokesperson, Esther Henderson, said they were compelled to engage the City in 2019 regarding not being afforded a fair opportunity in the City’s decision-making process.
“We had already advised that we had investors lined up who were prepared to fund all social, economic, environmental, and related impact studies, and all we needed was the City’s endorsement and support, which was never forthcoming,” said Henderson.
CTGPSA detailed a number of engagements held with the City and Mayor Dan Plato during August 2019 where they had met with Leonora de Souza-Zilwa, from the City’s events department, and presented the bid proposal and “left the detailed brochure behind”.
No further engagement was had until the recent announcement was made by Plato that the event would be hosted in Cape Town, which unveiled the Formula E track, which CTGPSA claim they “recognised as our concept in respect of the location and street circuit initially created in 1999 and further developed and refined in 2011”.
“This constituted a direct infringement of copyright and contravention of Intellectual Property (IP) of CTGPSA’s track and concept patented in 2005, and officially released to the media in January 2011,” said Henderson.
The City said officials took the CTGPSA through the requirements for City support and obtaining an endorsement letter.
’’Following the discussions on the City’s events support processes, CTGPSA was asked to submit an application as required by legislation and City policy. The City has never received an events support application from CTGPSA for Formula 1 or Formula E. It is important to note that the City did not participate in the bidding process for Formula E, nor did it make a decision on the South African agent to run the Cape Town leg of Formula E,” the City said.
Probed about the stolen location and circuit concept, the City did not comment.
“CTGPSA has never been precluded from making an application for support. In fact, they were asked to submit their application, and even provided with information on how to go about making their Formula 1 proposal. The application will be considered like any other events proposal should the CTGPSA make a submission to the City,” the City said.
CTGPSA chief executive Igshaan Amlay said their bid was built on honesty and integrity, with the vision to leave a legacy and that the “struggle continues, but only this time for economic freedom”.
“The stand we are taking is not only for us, but for all who come after us, perhaps even finding themselves in a similar boat right now. Our resolve is strengthened to bring Formula One Grand Prix to a street circuit in the Green Point Sport Tourism Precinct in Cape Town,” said Amlay.
Cape Times