Berea Park event puts Mayor on the spot

ETHEKWINI Mayor, Zandile Gumede has been put on the spot over an event promoting women empowerment hosted by the City at Berea Park on Sunday, 30 October. Ward councillors Christopher Pappas and Martin Meyer have called on the mayor to explain how the concert could have been permitted to take place at the park without any warning to residents or councillors in the ward.

Writing to Gumede, Pappas said while he was not against the empowerment of women he did have several concerns about the event.

“On behalf of the residents I question why no resident who would be affected by the noise was informed of the event and why the immediate community was not invited to attend. According to the Parks Department no parking plan was submitted which is concerning given the nature of the event,” he said.

Pappas said two old age homes, a high school, a number of religious institutions as well as many homes with children and senior citizens surrounded the park.

“On three occasions I visited the event to find no one in attendance, but despite this the sound continued from 10am until after 10pm,” he said.

Meyer said the incident reminded him of the many similar failed events the City used to organise at the Gordon Road park, where there had also been no consultation, no consideration, lots of noise, but no people.

“Back then we finally got an agreement from the City's events department to always consult with the councillor, the CPF and other roleplayers before hosting such events. Of course we support cultural events in our wards, and we support women's empowerment, however, I would like to see what the link was between women's empowerment and this event. Merely hosting a concert does not empower the women of our city. I still maintain that events like these cannot be held at the expense of residents' rights,” said Meyer.

He said hosting the event in a residential park, with two old age homes (one right opposite the park), various churches where services were underway and residential homes, on a Sunday was disrespectful to the residents.

“People use Sundays to rest, to spend quality time with their familie, and to prepare to return to work the next day. To have their peace and quiet disturbed until late on a Sunday night is just not acceptable. I do not recall authority for funding of these events coming to council, although I might be mistaken. I will follow up on that. Added to that we will have to ask of the relevant officials if our money has been spent wisely as there were so few people who attended the event,” said Meyer.

In respect of the event at Berea Park, Pappas has requested the municipality provide answers to his questions as to why residents surrounding the park were not notified that there would be an event, why the old age homes were not informed of the event and whether planners considered the impact that the prolonged loud noise would have on senior citizens.

“I have questioned how much was spent by eThekwini on the event, how many people attended the event and if this was a taxpayer funded event, why local residents were not invited to attend,” he said.

Pappas said he wanted a response from the Mayor as to why the event had been left to go on after 10pm, and whether the event achieved the desired outcome.

“Again, I question that if municipal funding was used for the event, why I as the local ward councillor was not informed of, or invited to the event,” he said.