Threats to Grahamstown arts festival played down

THERE are no plans to move the National Arts Festival from Grahamstown, the festival said on social media.

It described as sensationalised reports quoting its chief executive Tony Lankester as saying it was becoming difficult to justify keeping the national event in Grahamstown.

Lankester, the business community, and other Grahamstown leaders, were laying it on the line for visiting Cooperative Governance Minister Zweli Mkhize, who was in Grahamstown last week to see for himself the dire state of the Makana municipal area.

While everyone at the meeting indicated a willingness to work with the government to turn the decaying city around, Mkhize was left in no doubt just how difficult it is to do business in the small city with its breakdown in the provision of basic services, decaying infrastructure, collapsing road network and frequent water and electricity outages.

Lankester, who has always been a strong advocate for keeping the festival in Grahamstown, told the minister it was becoming difficult to justify doing so. The city has hosted the festival for 44 years. But the National Arts Festival said on social media that the infrastructure issues had been around for a while and had been widely discussed.

“What is new is a proactive and energetic movement among the citizens, institutions and businesses of Grahamstown, and a determination to overcome the challenges we face.”

It said more energy than ever was being focused on reviving Grahamstown.

“We are positive about the future and look forward to continuing to be part of the social and economic life of Grahamstown and the Eastern Cape, starting with this year’s festival, its amazing programme, its new and revitalised Village Green and a warm welcome from the people of Grahamstown.” The festival starts on June 28. Mkhize brought in a large team consisting of his top management structure last week to assess the Makana Municipality. He said that while his team would ensure a plan was in place and the municipality would be held accountable in carrying it out, there would be no pot of money to assist the distressed council until it got the basics right.