Thanks for the Money Ratepayers, This is how we waste it!

Trying to get straight and quick answers out of most of the people involved in the Splash Festival is frustrating to say the least.

The Splash Festival event is ‘owned’ by the Municipality and funded by around R2 million from the ratepayers. Every year the Municipality uses ratepayer money to choose an events company to provide entertainment. 2012’s chosen events company was Go Big. Despite my personal relationships with previous organisers I was pleased to see that the Municipality was awarding the event to a company that had the right BEE credentials. But, apparently, being Coloured doesn’t garner as many points as being Black – what a strange topsy turvy world we live in!

What irked me no end about the awarding of the tender was that it was awarded LESS THAN A MONTH before one of the biggest events on the PE Social Calendar. Almost as if these guys were being set up to for a fall. For goodness sake guys, if you want to develop someone then please don’t do this in future.

This year Community Chest were solely in charge of the stalls whilst Go Big handled the entertainment.

Another service provider was tasked with the provision of a VIP tent for Councillors. Not being part of the elite I was only able to peek in the tent on the night of the fireworks and only recognised ONE councillor inside. Where were the other councillors I ask?

I could be being churlish but walking around during the auditions before the Splash Festival I noticed a couple of local ANC Youth Leaguers calling the shots on who should be chosen to perform. It would be interesting to know just who received the Artist booking fees.

On a personal note – the Longhair, her Apprentice and I also walked around on Saturday morning into the afternoon and were impressed with the general set up and people attending the hypnotist show – for once we could stop and watch people on the stage clearly without being shoved around and having assorted idiots stand in front of us.

I have tried desperately to get hold of Nelson Mandela Bay Communications (those guys whose salaries you and I pay) and I am afraid to report that I do not have any clout with them at all as they do not bother to return my calls or e-mails – shame on you. Please see copies of two emails below that I have sent asking for some GOOD news:

Sent at 12:19 PM on 10 April 2010:

Hi Kupido

The feedback I am getting from Accommodation owners is pretty gloomy: http://mype.co.za/new/2012/04/port-elizabeth-splash-festival-accommodation-question/

Could you perhaps make life a bit more sunny by giving me feedback on some of the more tangible benefits that the Splash Festival brought to the city?

FYI – So far I have had just under 30 e-mails responding to the questions posed in the above article as well as people indicating bed nights sold.

Sent at 5:30 PM on 10 April 2010:

Hi Kupido

Could you please let me know:

• “What is the deliverable outcome as determined by the Municipality for the Splash Festival”?
• “How much was the tender value for the 2012 Splash Festival”?

Just in case you didn’t get my last e-mail the contents and questions appear below:

The feedback I am getting from Accommodation owners is pretty gloomy: http://mype.co.za/new/2012/04/port-elizabeth-splash-festival-accommodation-question/

Could you perhaps make life a bit more sunny by giving me feedback on some of the more tangible benefits that the Splash Festival brought to the city?

I am also sending his to all three of your addresses: kbaron@mandelametro.gov.za, kupido@baystars.co.za and kupido.baron@gmail.com.

I must confess, though, that Kupido Baron may not be back from his Easter break in Cape Town so he may still reply at some future date.

Another irksome question concerns the provisions of the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Bill which regulates events such as the Splash Festival. At a recent meeting of the local Events Planning Committee I noticed that most event organisers took from three weeks and up to receive their approvals from the National Planning Commissioner of the SAPS for their events. As the tender was awarded less than a month before the event I would like to know what strings our Municipality had to pull to get this event approved in terms of the legislation?

One message that I have for the stallholders is; “The cables providing power to your stalls were mostly wholly inadequate as I saw an abundance of 1.5 mm cables with some guys being connected to 20 Amp breakers whilst only needing one light – those cables represent a real danger to life and limb and need to be properly installed.” By the way – who pays for the electricity consumed?

Speaking to various stakeholders about what we should do to get our pride back in the Splash Festival I get lots of; “Don’t quote me”, “Between you and I” and “I shouldn’t be talking to you”.

But, all the people leaning toward the Desperate Alternative are unanimous when they say that the Splash Festival is being hijacked for votes and favours by our local ANC – how that is happening, I don’t know and I really don’t want to entertain that thought.

Methinks it is time that the actual funders (ratepayers) of the Splash Festival take charge of the event and run it for the benefit of our local economy and not for the pockets of some narrow interest group.

Commentators keep on alluding to political infighting and other interest group/s wanting to ‘take back’ the running of events like the Splash Festival. Reminds me of rats around a dwindling food supply – eventually they start biting each other in order to stay at the feeding trough.

See all the articles in this series by clicking here #splashsurvey.