More rage about Rage

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Prior to the 2022 Plett Rage event - the first since the Covid-19 outbreak - the multi-million rand student festival found itself in the midst of another furore.

Not only had organisers been on the receiving end of community backlash over the distribution of free tickets that has been labelled "exclusionary", but the venue for this year's event - which is set to start on Friday 2 December and run until 9 December - is still a point of contention.

There has been large-scale community objection to the proposed new venue over not only environmental and safety concerns, but also ones of inconvenience for residents of the area as well as economic losses for the town.

Organisers applied for use of a portion of land in the Roodefontein area on the outskirts of Plettenberg Bay to use not only for the Rage, but also other events over the next five years.

Past venues have included Plett Central, Central Beach and Ganse Vallei.

'Unsuitable'

Some of the objectors claimed that it would be unsuitable for events of this scale as it is situated in a marshland, right at the inflow of the Piesang River into Plettenberg Bay's Roodefontein Dam, which supplies drinking water to the town.

They claim it is also 12km from the centre of town and difficult to access. Some of the negative impacts cited include local businesses not benefitting from the event due to the "isolated location".

Another issue stated is the safety of students and danger of drowning due to its proximity to the dam.

There are also concerns about traffic issues and poor road conditions as the road to the venue is a steep and slippery dirt road ending in a jeep track with single access. They also fear possible contamination of Plett drinking water and damage to the environment, as fish eagles and other birds are known to nest in the area.

A further complaint is that there would be noise pollution that would negatively impact on residents in the area.

Despite the objections, the application was approved earlier this month. There were however restrictions, including approval for only a year and not five as applied for. The area applied for was also initially 2,6ha, but this was reduced to about 1ha.

Objections

One of the objectors, Yvonne Raath, a resident in the area, however said that they decided to appeal the decision and this process only ends on Friday - when the festival is set to start.

Raath said that in accordance with municipal by-laws, organisers should not be allowed to host or set up for the event until this process is completed, but that this has been ignored and setting up was nearing completion.

According to Raath, objectors were brushed off and they barely had the opportunity to give their input during the tribunal ahead of the decision. She said that they were also not given various reports, including environmental and sound reports.

'No cause for concern'

Owner and founder of Plett Rage Ronen Klugman earlier addressed objectors' concerns. About businesses losing out, he said that the festival brought thousands of people to the town benefitting hundreds of businesses.

"The last survey we did in 2019, about R55-million was spent in the town outside of our events," Klugman said. About safety, he added that the event site is 50m away from the dam. "In between this is a thick forest that you cannot walk through, besides the fact that we have security to control where people go."

Klugman said the road to the site would also be graded and made double-carriage or a loop system, and that it would only give access to the farm.

Exclusion from benefits

Over and above the venue issues, organisers have also received major backlash from locals on social media after posting a media release about their decision to show "appreciation" for the Plett community by offering free tickets to local matriculants in exchange for helping "spread the spirit of Rage".

The release made mention of only two schools, Wittedrift High School and Greenwood Bay College. In the statement organisers said that they hoped to include Murray High and Plett Secondary schools in the future.

This left many residents hot under the collar, accusing organisers of excluding youngsters from some communities. Organisers then responded that several attempts had been made to contact Murray High and Plett Secondary schools to be part of the initiative, but that the schools never responded.