The inaugural Simunye Fest incurred losses of more than E1.5 million.
Organisers said the event could have proceeded on Friday despite the challenges surrounding the required town board processes.
Organising committee member Msutfu Masilela said they were disappointed that the festival had not gone according to plan but were nevertheless happy that they had managed to bring their concept to life despite the setbacks.
The festival ran from October 30 to November 1 at Vuvulane in the Lubombo region.
Masilela explained that the Friday programme did not take place following what he described as communication breakdown between the organisers and the police over a vetting process required by the town board.
He said approximately 1 500 people showed up at the venue on Friday, excluding artists, vendors and other stakeholders who were expected to attend the festival.
According to Masilela, most of those who arrived were campers who were ready to set up at the campsite.
However, they were allegedly turned away by the police who informed them that the event would not take place because the required vetting process had not been completed.
The organising committee had earlier engaged the municipality and had undertaken to fulfil the required conditions. He maintained that they had delivered on their commitments and believed there was no reason the festival should not proceed.
“We had an earlier agreement with the town board that we would deliver, and we had indeed done so by Friday. Perhaps there was a communication breakdown,” he said.
Masilela said the situation dealt a major blow to the festival, particularly because many of the expected patrons had already arrived and were prepared to camp.
He added that the stage remained set up throughout the night as they tried to resolve the matter. They also received complaints from people who had written to them that night following the incident.
The effects of Friday’s disruption were still felt on Saturday, when attendance started off slowly before improving as the day progressed.
Masilela further revealed that some artists from South Africa and Mozambique did not turn up.
He said the organisers had paid deposits to the artists and requested their passports to facilitate the processing of the necessary permits.
However, some did not provide the required travel documents, while others failed to show up. The organisers were subsequently faced with requests from some of the absent artists for their outstanding performance fees.
Some had also threatened to raise the matter on their social media platforms.
Despite the setbacks, the festival continued on Sunday, with South African DJ Lace, who had been scheduled to perform on Saturday, making an appearance and honouring the invitation.
Other performers included gospel artists Linda Dlamini and Shekinah.
Masilela acknowledged that attendance throughout the festival was below their expectations but said the organisers remained pleased that they had managed to host the event.
He believed that the remaining two days could have attracted better attendance had news surrounding Friday’s disruption not spread so quickly. Reflecting on the experience, he said the organisers had identified shortcomings, particularly in their marketing approach, and recognised the need to engage institutions that could have supported the event.
He said some of these institutions had since seen the potential of the event, which he believed would make future engagements easier. Meanwhile, Masilela acknowledged public suggestions that the festival should move to another venue or be shortened to a one-day event. However, he said the organisers intended to retain both Vuvulane as the venue and the three-day format for the next edition.
“We acknowledge the suggestions of changing the venue and making the event a one-day festival, but there are things that will not change. Rome was not built in a day. We will continue at the same venue next year despite the resistance, but we will be resilient,” he said.
He appealed to members of the public to be patient with the organisers and support their vision, saying not everyone would necessarily understand what they were trying to build.
“A dream should not make sense to everyone,” he said.
Masilela also addressed patrons who had purchased tickets but were unable to attend following the disruption, saying they would be assisted through the ticket-selling platforms upon request.
Despite the financial setback, he said the organisers had not lost hope and were already looking ahead to the next edition. The launch of the next edition is planned for later this year.
Town Board advised Simunye Fest postponement
The Vuvulane Town Board had advised the Simunye Fest organising team to postpone the inaugural festival after discovering that some of the requirements on its event checklist had not been fulfilled.
This is according to the board’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Londiwe Simelane-Nsibande, who said an inspection conducted with the police, fire and water services revealed outstanding requirements ahead of the three-day event.
Simelane-Nsibande said the inspection was initially scheduled for Wednesday but was eventually conducted on Thursday.
She explained that after discovering that the checklist had not been completed, the authorities asked the police to assist in turning back people who had arrived at the venue on Friday.
“We were simply looking out for the safety and well-being of the public,” she said.
Among the issues she highlighted were the detour road, which was yet to be opened, and the stage, which had not been set up by the time of the inspection.
Simelane-Nsibande said the organisers had been advised to postpone the festival until the outstanding requirements had been addressed.
However, she said the organising team subsequently managed to complete the outstanding work, allowing the festival to proceed from Saturday.
She maintained that the decision to turn back attendees was guided by the need to ensure that the necessary arrangements were in place to protect the public.
