Court action 'won't derail' Tweede Nuwejaar minstrel parade on January 4
|Published
File picture: David Ritchie/African News Agency (ANA) File picture: David Ritchie/African News Agency (ANA)
Cape Town – It is all systems go for the annual
Tweede Nuwe Jaar (second new year) minstrel parade that
will now be held on January 4, instead of January 2 as is customary.
Muneeb Gambeno, director of the Kaapse Klopse Karnival Association (KKKA), said the high court litigation by Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) against the KKKA and the City of Cape Town Council would not derail the traditional road march.
Gambeno said: “Yes, we are in court today. This process only affects our preparations. We are wasting one day in court which we could have utilised to finalise outstanding matters.”
CTMCA spokesperson Sedick Soeker argued they made applications like everyone else to participate and believes their exclusion from these festivities is a form of victimisation.
“The CTMCA are the custodians of the road march and therefore we have a right to be part of the festival.
“For the past three years we were excluded by the City of Cape Town (Council). We are branded as an organisation consisting of gangsters but we are not gangsters.
"We can’t allow this trend to continue and it is important that we are successful in our application in the Western Cape High Court today. If we are not successful, we will pursue it further,” Soeker said.
On the issue of changing the march to January 4, Gambeno said: “Sunset on January 2, 2020 coincides with Friday Jumuah prayers for the Muslim community. If January 2 was on a Sunday, we would have done the same for the Christian community.
“It is about respecting religion. Hence we are quite happy with the festivities taking place two days later.”
The troupes will march from Hanover Street in District Six, heading towards the City Hall, before they continue up Darling Street into Adderley Street, up Wale Street to Rose Street in the Bo-Kaap.
The City has pumped R4.5 million into the annual Cape minstrel parade with the KKKA getting the biggest chunk of R3.2m and the Cape Malay Choir Road March R1.1m.
One of the reasons why the City is not dealing with the CTMCA is because of criminal convictions in terms of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act held by members of the CTMCA.
The City cannot rent facilities, provide non-essential services or issue any permits to them, mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith said.