Klopse body excluded from City’s budget

THE Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) has once again been excluded from the City’s budget for the upcoming new year celebratory events, which they say is an “insult to people of the Cape Flats”.

But the City has hit back, saying it cannot issue permits to the association due to criminal convictions of some of its board members.

The City has approved R6.1 million for upcoming minstrel events and Malay choirs, of which R4.1m will be cash to associations, and R2m will be support services.

The Kaapse Klopse Karnival Association will get the bulk of this with a total of R3.7m.The Cape Malay Choir Board will get R1.1m, and the South African United Christmas Bands will get R110 000.

CTMCA chief executive Kevin Momberg said its board member who was charged under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act had stepped down, which he said was in the best interests of the association.

“The City is using the public’s money to sow division. We will challenge this decision,” Momberg said.

Mayoral committee member for safety and security; and social services JP Smith said requests for funding were received through the City’s event support application system, and were considered by the Special Events Committee.

“The massive increase in the amount of money allocated for the minstrels events and the range of beneficiaries benefiting this year shows that far from being an ‘insult to the people of the Cape Flats’ as suggested by the CTMCA, the City is in fact demonstrating a dramatic increase in confidence in and support for the minstrels – a sign of respect and a belief in the valuable role of the minstrels as part of our collective cultural heritage and city appeal. The CTMCA board members still have a Poca finding against them and Mr Momberg and the CTMCA were advised accordingly,” Smith said.