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GEORGE NEWS - Garden Route District Council is rethinking its financial support of a festival in Mossel Bay, hosted by the Transnet National Ports Authority.

A decision was made at a meeting on 21 January that the district municipality will contribute R500 000 to the then Transnet Mossel Bay Diaz Port Festival. Meanwhile, the composition of this festival has changed. Council was informed at their meeting on 27 February, that the planned Transnet Port Festival has separated from the Mossel Bay Diaz Port Festival, which took place on 2 and 3 February.

Click here for photos of the meeting on 27 February.

Though the item was in the form of a report, merely informing council of the split, many raised concerns - from all seats in council - saying they resolved to sponsor a specific event that is no longer taking place.

ANC chief whip Piet van der Hoven said, "Speaker, how can we take note of the report if we give money and we don't know who we give it to? Seemingly there is something seriously wrong. We don't have R500 000 to hand out to somebody just to have a party." He said he read newspaper reports on what happened there and that it seems there were more "fights than festival".

Municipal manager Monde Stratu said he thought the item was straightforward. He gave a review on the proposal of the ports authority, and said Council resolved to support the Diaz Port Festival. 

"Subsequent to that the officials of the port came back to us to say the annual Transnet Mossel Bay Diaz Port Festival is no longer. The Mossel Bay Diaz Port Festival is happening alone, for reasons that many people know. And the Transnet Port Festival will be organised later. The officials at the port were not happy about how the original festival was turning out."

He explained that the GRDM is not part of the Diaz festival that has already taken place. "Transnet is continuing with the (port) festival together with us."

Speaker Eleanore Bouw-Spies asked for the item to be withdrawn and brought to the next meeting with a full report on the planned festival. Photos: Michelle Pienaar

Van der Hoven requested that a report on the finalisation of the festival be discussed at the next council meeting. Stratu said Council has approved to support the festival. DA Councillor Rosina Ruiters said the money was approved for the Mossel Bay Diaz and Port Festival, not just the Port Festival. Speaker Eleanore Bouw-Spies asked that the item be withdrawn and brought to the next meeting with a full report on the planned festival.

The proposed festival date is 27 April.

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