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EDITOR: BETTIE GILIOMEE
Splash out – or not? ZELDRÉ SWANEPOEL
F
OR the first time in 23 years the annual Splash Festival might not be on the list of things do to on Easter weekend.
With less than two weeks to go, there still is no word on whether this year’s Splash - which has grown into a popular festival attracting both local visitors and tourists – will take place. The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is yet to award a tender to host the Splash Festival. Only two companies tendered to host the Festival. A strongly-worded statement by Councillor Andrew Whitfield, PR Councillor for Sports, Arts, Recreation and Culture was sent out last week to address the issues around the uncertainty of the Splash Festival, and demanding that the persons responsible for planning the
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It is unfair too for the successful bidder to try and put together a rush job for a city signature event” – DEAN BIDDULPH
event, be held accountable for the “debacle”. “The complete disregard for the residents, service providers as well as the thousands of tourists that will descend on Nelson Mandela Bay over Easter is disgraceful. “The political infighting in Nelson Mandela Bay has produced uncertainty and increased inefficiency within the administration, leading to poor service delivery across the board,” Whitfield said. “The standing committee on Sports, Arts, Recreation and Culture is responsible for the Splash Festival and this committee has not completed a full sitting since November last year. Failure to convene regular committee meetings leads to councillors being unable to
perform their oversight role effectively so as to ensure that events like the Splash Festival are properly organized,” Whitfield said. DA Ward Councillor for the area, Dean Biddulph, said the tender should be advertised at least six months before the date of the event. “As of Friday morning I had been informed that the tender had not been finalised yet, which places the whole event in jeopardy along with the embarrassment that we would face as a city. It is unfair too for the successful
bidder to try and put together a rush job for a city signature event,” said Biddulph. Michael Zoetmulder, Operation Owner of Zports Events, said that over the past four years, the Splash Festival has featured several top national and international water sport events, all of which have fallen away given the uncertainty of the Splash Festival this year. “The Splash Festival water sports events have become well known both nationally and internationally, particularly the Bell Buoy Chal-
lenge which over the past couple of years has featured world champion swimmers like Petar Stoychev (Bulgaria), Rok Kerin (Slovenia) and Mel Gorman (Australia),” Zoetmulder said. “The uncertainty of the festival this year means we’ve had to downgrade the Bell Buoy Challenge swim from an international event to a local event with no prize money attracting the top international and national swimmers.
Continued on page 5. . . .
The African Passion staged at Opera House
This Easter, an exciting brand new, original gospel operamu sical – The African Passion – is set to tour to major South African cities and will be staged in Port Elizabeth at the PE Opera House, on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The cast includes, from left Siphindile Myeni, Sheila Mkhize, Caitlin Kilburn and Sharon Dee. See the full story on page 7. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
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