Macufe cancelled again, despite three-year tender invitation

The Free State’s flagship programme, Macufe will not be held for a second consecutive year, despite service providers being asked to submit quotations to be implementing agents.

Macufe (Mangaung African Cultural Festival) was established in 1997 and the only two years the festival didn’t happen was in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The reason why the festival did not occur in 2023 and 2024 remains a mystery.

The controversial flagship’s return in 2022 was painted with a judgment that declared the awarding of that year’s tender unlawful. And the Hawks confiscating documents related to the tender for investigation.

No reason for Macufe cancellation

The newly appointed MEC for the department of Sports, art, culture and recreation, Ntombizanele Sifubamade made the announcement during the tabling of the 2024/205 budget vote speech on Tuesday.

She did however, make the reassurance that the event is not dead.

“This programme has most certainly served to advance the artistic and cultural heritage in the province in over two decades of its existence. It has also been characterised by the commercial aspects which were dominated by music activations,” she added.

The department said before the appointment of Sifuba as MEC, they had posted a tender invitation on their website.

The department was inviting service providers who wish to organise Macufe 2024.

“The department is hereby inviting self-funding proposals for organising Macufe for three years and intended to be stage from the 27 September 2024 to 6 October 2024,” read the tender invitation.

The Citizen has reached out to the department to gain clarity into the reason for the cancellation.

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Macufe 2022 investigated by the Hawks

The last time Macufe was held was when Mosa Likobo, director for DS Consortium took the department to court for not awarding the tender to C-Squared.

Likobo’s urgent court application was entertained by the Bloemfontein’s High Court days before the festival of that year commenced.

Judge Phillip Loubser delivered a judgment that painted the awarding of the tender to C-Squared as unlawful and irregular.

However, his judgment did not prohibit C-Squared to continue with hosting the festival. It is understood that C-Squared, owned by Ben Moseme has been awarded the tender for a number years. In 2022, it was awarded to organise the tender for R16 849 863.80

Following the judgment, the Hawks confiscated the necessary documents related to Macufe.

OFM News previously reported a criminal case was opened after allegations were made during the court hearing that the tender was tainted by administrative irregularities.

Unlawful judgment overturned

The department has since appealed the unlawful judgment many times.

In April 2024, the same court that declared the 2022 tender unlawful, overturned the ruling and set the tender free from any irregularities.

However, Hawks spokesperson, Chistopher Singo told The Citizen the criminal case that was opened in connection with Macufe 2022 is still under investigation and no arrests have been made.

Certain people in the province have had the view that Macufe will be forgotten and cancelled forever. Tebogo Kotsi from the province started a petition in an attempt to save Macufe.

“Now, entering its 27th year, Macufe faces the threat of cancellation due to political interference.

“The loss of this iconic festival would devastate many households relying on the income it generates and cut off countless opportunities for our budding artists and entrepreneurs,” he said.

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Provincial economy will lose

Kotsi added in his petition that another year without Macufe means that the province’s economy will lose support.

The festival on its own would bring thousands of people to Bloemfontein for a period of 10 days, sometimes even longer.

“The festival is a beacon of hope in our province, giving countless job opportunities to the young unemployed youth even in dire situations like the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

He notes that the festival paved the way for the province’s creative sector to shine.

“The economic spin-offs of this festival go a long way in enhancing the livelihoods of our people. Let us not allow politics to dim the light Macufe shines on our province,”

Kotsi added that the loss of Macufe 2024 cannot be measured in terms of monetary worth alone.