Festival set to Jazz up Newcastle

Newcastle is set to possibly host the first Annual Amajuba Jazz Festival at Amcor Dam on September 1, after EXCO approved the event in principle.
The festival will not only be targeting jazz fans, but also those who have yet to experience the joys of the genre.

Both Council and EXCO members raised concerns regarding the venue, as there were some problems encountered during previous musical events at Amcor Dam. Public Relations Councillor, Sibusiso Lukele explained, “Amcor is in a residential area.

By hosting these events here, the people in the area are punished. They pay their rates, so why is it that they must go through this year in and year out?” He suggested the location of the event be moved to Nthsingwayo (Chelmsford) Dam. Director of Parks and Recreation, Vish Govender, believed otherwise.

“Amcor has all the licences to host an event like this. We have learned from hosting events there over the years, on how to redirect traffic, and keep things moving smoothly.”

Mr Govender said the community should regard the event as beneficial to the community from a cultural and tourism perspective. He addressed concerns regarding cut-off times for musical events, and promised the department would be fine-tuning rules in this regard.

Newcastle Mayor, Afzul Rehman believed the event should be hosted, as it would be a great outing for the older generation. “We need to be stricter with our times. Once when I was in London, I saw the British Police shut down a Madonna concert because it ran over the scheduled time. We need to become just as harsh,” said Cllr Rehman.

Municipal Manager, Kebone Masange, commented the event was not set in stone.
Although EXCO may have approved the event in principle, approval in terms of Section 4 of the Gatherings Act, Act No. 205 of 1993 must still be obtained.

“Once the organisers of the event get this approval, they will have to follow our strict rulings, and we will be using the police to enforce these rules,” stated Mr Masange. For those residents concerned about traffic congestions, a suggestion to have a ‘Park n’ Ride’ system was tabled.