Hofmeyr hits all the rights notes at concert, but protest still planned

Although he held back on controversial remarks, ANC Youth League intent on march

SINGER Steve Hofmeyr, pictured, lived up to his reputation as a performer of note during the Afrikaans is Groot (AIG) concert at the weekend at the NG Kerk Moreleta Park. But away from the stage and colourful lights, the gloves were off.

People in the crowd shouted: “Sing Die Stem” as he was on stage, but he did not. Nor did the singer say anything controversial.

But the ANC Youth League Greater Tshwane region said it had applied to hold a demonstration against Hofmeyr in the light of his public utterances that the party claimed bordered on racism.

The youth league has accused the popular Afrikaans singer of insisting on spreading racial antipathy and wants him to be removed from the list of performers at the concert series.

The dispute relates to Hofmeyr’s public spat with satirist Conrad Koch and his puppet Chester Missing, as well as a statement allegedly made by him in which he said black people were the architects of apartheid.

Youth league branch chairman Tshepo Masanabo said an application to stage the protest was submitted to the City of Tshwane at the weekend.

Masanabo said details of the protest would be announced after further consultations.

However, residents of Moreleta Park have vowed to go to court if the youth movement is granted permission to demonstrate.

The AIG concert kicked off on Friday night and will conclude this Saturday before moving to Cape Town for two days.

Hofmeyr is sharing the stage with Juanita du Plessis, Theuns Jordaan, Bobby van Jaarsveld, Bok van Blerk, Robbie Wessels, Lianie May, Karlien van Jaarsveld, Jay, Riana Nel, Jannie Moolman, Arno Jordaan, Jak de Priester, Eden and Corlea Botha.

Under the banner of the Rubenstein Group, residents said they took note of the youth league’s intention to obtain permission for a protest against Hofmeyr. The group said there was not enough time for the application and thus no need to give the youth league less than the procedural seven days to apply for a protest in accordance with municipal policies.

“Allowing the protest to go ahead without following procedures would be a dangerous set-up that could see possible violence spill over near our homes,” Rubenstein Group spokeswoman Melany Legard said.

The group warned that if the city unlawfully favoured the youth league and granted the right to protest, it would seek an urgent interdict in the high court to stop the mass action and ask for a costs order against the metro.

“Our legal advice is that it is not a safe venue to have a protest, and the application must be at least seven days before the time; there is no proper reason to lift the seven days,” the group said.

Legard said the City of Tshwane had indicated that no application or notice had been received.

AIG spokesman Barnard Beukman said the organisers were focused on the concert and would deal with the matter once the youth league’s application had been approved and details of the protest made public.

Concert-goer Sonja du Preez said: “I have never seen such a spectacular stage. It was announced there were 7 500 people and that it was fully booked for the next week.

“When Hofmeyr came on, people cheered. He sang some of his wellknown songs… It was clear that Steve was a big part of the show.”