Helping the economy as they rage into the night
Rage festival in numbers
BOTTOMS UP: Plett Rage revellers, from left, Sam Swales, Steph Bezuidenhout, Naledi Mkhulisi and TJ Harvey toast the end of their school careers KWAZULU-Natal’s coast will be invaded this weekend as many matriculants get drunk, indulge in over-the-top public displays of affection or just make a lot of noise.
While this has not turned off Ballito residents, who say the economic benefits and “vibe” of the annual Rage festival far outweigh the negatives, the provincial department of education is not amused.
In a media alert, it distanced itself from the 11-year-old festival — which takes place in Ballito and Durban — and the Pens Down Festival in Richards Bay. “Organisers and learners turn these festivals into Pants Down (sex), alcohol and fighting festivals,” it said.
The unofficial celebrations in Richards Bay ended in tragedy in December last year when three pupils were stabbed to death and 18 sustained stab wounds at a party in Bay Hall on Alkantstrand.
However, founder Gareth Devore said Rage couldn’t be compared to Pens Down.
“Rage Festival is an extremely well-organised festival attended by thousands of fans from across South Africa providing world-class entertainment and adding significant economic value to eThekwini and KwaDukuza.
“This statement comes as a surprise given that the City of Durban fully supports Rage Festival and is involved in the logistics and operations.”
They had had incident-free events for 11 years, he said.
A survey after the 10-day festival last year showed it generated R160-million. As
NOT US: Rage founder Gareth Devore many as 25 000 people are expected at events in Ballito, Umhlanga and Kings Park Stadium.
Devore said that although the festival was associated with a degree of “drunkenness and debauchery”, safety and security was a key feature.
“The difference is the kids would be here anyway . . . Without us there would be disorderly stuff and drunk stuff in back yards of people’s gardens or hotels. We just add structure to the chaos . . . When people are entertained, they behave,” said Devore.
Dave Charles, chairman of the Dolphin Coast Residents and Ratepayers Association, said Rage had become “a bit of a tradition”, even if it did come with some negatives.
“Obviously there are antisocial elements, which are not desirable in any society. We were all young once and accept that there is this almost coming of age, rite of passage, feeling with the event,” he said.
uMhlathuze municipality spokesman Mdu Ncalane said this year stringent measures, including visible policing, had been put in place in Richards Bay, “to avoid a repetition of last year’s events where some students lost their lives”.
We accept that there is this almost coming of age, rite of passage, feeling