DEAR Editor;
I’m really angered by what has happened to our local tourism and want to bring it to everyone’s attention.
The story is that a film crew, which has been here many times in the past, was preparing and was far in the process of bringing 400 people, actors and film crew to the South Coast and, in particular, Port Edward.
Provisional bookings were made at various establishments in and around the Port Edward areas.
Initial bookings were from October 25 to November 11.
For this amount of people and for this amount of time in a single booking, everyone was excited, especially after what we have been through in the last 18 months, and in particular since the riots.
From past history, these people support local restaurants, bars and entertainment establishments and also employ local people for various tasks as extras in the production, taxiing staff and making some personal assistants.
After weeks of negotiations… BOOM our excitement was destroyed.
Filming was to take place in the Umtamvuna area as well as just into Mzamba valley in the Eastern Cape.
However, it’s believed that some local chiefs of Mzamba demanded R150 000 each to allow the production to go ahead (or they would burn and disrupt the production).
The production company offered R150 000 to the community of Mzamba but the chiefs still insisted on being paid.
Obviously the production company felt threatened and sent us and others emails which said: “As per our telephonic conversation, unfortunately due the community at Mzamba valley, we have to pull our entire project from the area and move it to a new location. The risk to film there is not worth it for us. I really do apologise for this and for the inconvenience caused.”
This has devastated the Port Edward community, and after this production company, which has supported this area on many previous productions, pre-lockdown era, we now know they shall not return.
Really sad!
FRUSTRATED
Email
* The film company was contacted for comment and declined.
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