Thousands of visitors flock to Port Alfred
At any festival, people can tend to become a bit rowdy, but overall, from the perspective of a concert-goer, it was a good experience.
“On a scale of 1-10 I would definitely give it a six out of 10,” said Anqobile Magilindane, who attended the event.
“It was good but there’s room for improvement at the event.
“I bought a VIP ticket because I believe that the VIP section is an exclusive experience, but unfortunately it didn’t feel that way, there wasn’t enough space for all of us.”
Yanga Mayekiso said: “The festival was great in my opinion.
“I think they should reduce the number of people in the VIP section though.”
Madyo shared a breakdown of the expenditure for the event with TOTT.
Artists and MCs accounted for R623,500; flights and accommodation amounted to R230,000; ground transport for R30,000; security R10,000; sound, stage, lights and big screens totalled R230,000; the VIP tent cost R50,000 to hire, along with furniture (R60,000); Umhlobo Wenene FM was paid R58,000 for advertising over the 30 days leading up to the event; and a local events company was paid R70,000.
Madyo said the events company represented the 10% local SMME involvement required by Ndlambe Municipality as one of the conditions of their sponsorship.
At the time of publishing, TOTT was unable to reach the company’s owner
for confirmation on their role and the amount they received.
Madyo said the company’s role had included some marketing.
“His job was to coordinate local artists, local DJs and local staff.”
However, Madyo said: “In future we want to put down exactly what that person’s job involves.”
In the Ndlambe council meeting where the event sponsorship was tabled, ANC and EFF councillors voted in favour and DA councillors against.
Also voicing strong concerns about the municipality’s sponsorship of the event was the Port Alfred Ratepayers and Residents Association.
Chairperson Lindsay LuppnowBurrow
said in November: “Parra is strongly opposed to this way of spending ratepayers’ money, or any source of funding that the municipality has access to on a single-day event, when our roads are in a state of disarray, infrastructure throughout the town needs repair, people in the CBD can’t go to the toilet in a dignified manner because of the current state of the public toilets, drains in the CBD are blocked and there’s no equipment available to clean them.”
The motivating report from the municipal manager’s office argued that music festivals were good for tourism because they enhanced the municipality’s image and developed “a vibrant cultural hub with potential to attract investment and development opportunities to Ndlambe”.
The municipality has also entered a three-year service level agreement (SLA) with Lutifusion that includes monitoring of the standard of service provided by the company, as well as preference to local SMMEs for providing locally-sourced goods and services.
Madyo first hosted the popular festival in 2018 as a joint venture between the department of sport, recreation, arts & culture, Ndlambe Municipality and the Sarah Baartman District Municipality.
He named it the Ndlambe Music Festival.
He changed the name after a legal challenge last year by the owner of the trademark, NJH Group.
Madyo is determined to ensure the festival grows.
“My aim is to see the Ecawa Music Festival become the best not just in the Eastern Cape but in South Africa as a whole,” Madyo said.
Talk of the Town received a media pass for our journalist to attend the event.
This included access to the VIP section.
Rainfall and temperatures in Port Alfred for the week Wednesday January 17 to Tuesday January 23 2024
● Wednesday: 3 (18°C)
● Thursday: 3 (17°C)
● Friday: 0 (16°C)
● Saturday: 0 (18°C)
● Sunday: 0 (16°C)
● Monday: 0 (21°C)
● Tuesday: 1 (17°C)
● Total rainfall: 7mm
● Seven-day mean temperature 17.57°C (Median 17)
● Average for January 46.75mm
● YTD 85mm ● MTD 85mm
— Rainfall and temperature measurements, recorded at 6am in Forest Downs, Port Alfred by Emil Jurgensen.