City’s Aussie trip sent back to drawing board
A proposed trip to Australia by city officials for networking purposes has been sent back to the relevant department for reworking.
COUNCIL spending has come under the spotlight in recent weeks with a proposal to send officials to Australia on a networking trip, and funding of two international concerts and Durban Picnic Day, creating a major public outcry in the media this week.
In a media release on Wednesday the city said the networking trip to Australia had been referred back to the relevant department with requests that the report be reworked and for it to clearly outline the purpose of the visit and the desired goals. Mayor James Nxumalo said in an Exco meeting on 8 March that any trip undertaken by councillors or officials must benefit the city.
As far as the other events, eThekwini’s Executive Committee is to consider the recommendation that the city host two major concert events feature international artists, TI and Nicky Minaj and the Durban Picnic Day which will be held over the Easter Weekend.
The Economic Development and Planning Committee was told that both events would have a return on investment in the City in that they would stimulate foot traffic as locals as well as visitors from outside the city would attend and spend at restaurants, accommodation and participate in other activities in the City. An additional benefit was job creation, with infrastructure work sourced locally for events as well as temporary work.
The Durban Picnic Day is a family oriented event and provides an exciting tourism experience for visitors and locals over the Easter weekend. The line-up includes various well known national artists who will share the stage with local entertainers. The inaugural event was hosted last year, and the aim is attract over attract 8 000 people across the demographics this year.
The Committee approved the partnership between Link Gibson for the International Artists Durban Music Tour. TI will perform at the Durban Botanical Gardens, while Nicki Minaj’s Durban leg of her South African Tour will take place at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Deputy Mayor and chairperson of the Economic Development and Planning Committee Nomvuzo Shabalala said the City has been marketed both nationally and internationally on numerous platforms. “That is why we were voted one of the seven wonder cities of the world. It is not the first time we have funded events to be held in the City. We must be doing something right if we are getting all these accolades as a City. We are doing our job as the committee to bring all these events to Durban,” she said.
