Anger over Bollywood show organiser’s claims

CITY officials have reacted with outrage after a Durban-based Bollywood show organiser accused the ethekwini Municipality of failing to support “Indian events” in the city if no bribe was paid.

Ethekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede slammed the organisers over claims that the city was to blame for the failure to host the event that was due to take place yesterday at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

“How dare they play the race card to mask their failure to host the show as organisers and accuse us of bribery? This show had nothing to do with the city and to blame ethekwini Municipality is unacceptable and not the way to try to force us to support an event.

“If we have budget constraints, you cannot say we are failing to support an event due to race.

“Ethekwini is a diverse city and our municipality supports events across all cultures. We embrace, celebrate and welcome our diversity and any attempt to cause racial division must be rejected with contempt,” said the mayor.

“How can we be responsible for the lack of visa processes? Are we now Home Affairs?” asked Gumede.

The furore follows a last-minute cancellation of the Bollywood event.

The organisers, Airport Times, have blamed “visa challenges” and a lack of funding from ethekwini in support of the event.

“The question I ask is: will assistance be offered only if we conform to bribery and corruption? Would I then receive the support? But my culture is not up for sale,” show spokesperson Sadhana Dayanand is reported to have said.

Yesterday Dayanand said the comments had been “blown out of proportion” and refused to elaborate.

“If we received support from ethekwini, maybe we would not have had visa problems.”

Deputy Mayor Fawzia Peer condemned the comments from the organisers and called on them to name those they accused of bribery and corruption.

She said an e-mail had been received from the organisers alleging that certain officials had demanded houses be built.

“We need to investigate those claims and call on the organiser to name the officials involved.

“I met the organiser in the week to express concern over the claims. We are still waiting for the organiser to substantiate these claims as the city takes great umbrage at the allegations of racial preference for funding,” she said.

The show has been postponed tentatively to May 12.