PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - With the multimillion rand student festival, Plett Rage, just more than a week away, final touches are being put in place for the arrival of thousands of school leavers about to descend on the town.
The event, the biggest student festival in the Southern Hemisphere, kicks off on 1 December and runs until 9 December.
The line-up has been finalised, a safety plan has been approved and tickets have been sold out.
It also appears that the festival’s venue woes have also been settled.
These issues came about after last year’s venue, The Meadows, became unavailable for this year’s festival due to the upgrading of the Plettenberg Bay waste water treatment works located on the property.
Organisers earlier this year applied for temporary land use of a property, dubbed Coco Valley, off the N2 adjacent to Buco just outside of Plettenberg Bay.
Stakeholders had until 6 November to submit comments or raise concerns.
Although Bitou municipality has not confirmed whether the green light was given for this venue – despite several enquiries into the matter before going to print – authorities did indicate that this year’s safety plan has been designed around the new spot.
Organisers also earlier this year applied for land use of Central beach for daytime activities, which resulted in widespread opposition from various residents, organisations and businesses who believe the event could have a negative impact on marine life, residents and businesses in the area.
In the meantime, local authorities have confirmed that a massive safety and security plan, involving cooperation between various authorities, has been finalised and that details would be released later this week.
Organisers have also systematically been releasing this year’s line-up which includes big names in the music industry, such as Heuwels Fantasties, Timo ODV, The Kiffness, Aking, Sketchy Bongo, December Streets, Fokofpolisiekar, Jack Parow, Grassy Spark, Matthew Mole, PHFat, Chunda Munki, Das Kapital and many other DJs across a variety of genres.
Organisers also recently released an additional 200 tickets due to a “massive demand” for entry into the festival.
Not only has the festival become a showcase of music and entertainment and an opportunity for school leavers to let their hair down, but it has also become a major money spinner for Bitou.
Each year the festival provides an economic boost of about R50-million to Plett.
Read previous articles:
- Where will Plett Rage be happening?
- Plett Rage on beach "could be disastrous'
- Plett Rage student festival in hot spot
- More cases against Rage 'fraudster'
ARTICLE: YOLANDÉ STANDER, KNYSNA-PLETT HERALD CORRESPONDENT
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