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KNYSNA NEWS - One of the highlights of the annual Pick n Pay Oyster Festival is the arrival of the SA Navy through the Heads – which is advertised on the official programme and in the Knysna-Plet Herald every year – but this year plans floated away.

Also advertised long in advance are the times and venues at which the famous SA Navy Band will play.

Plans started going awry when the navy boat was to come in through the Heads on Monday, July 10 – with the festival already well under way on July 7.

Crowds gathered on the Monday afternoon at the Heads and on Thesen Island, only to leave disappointed as without prior notice the navy vessel did not pitch.

The Knysna-Plett Herald could not notify readers in time before they headed out expectantly for their annual navy treat. When the vessel did arrive on Tuesday morning, short notice was given, with many people missing out.

The Knysna-Plett Herald was hammered on social media by unhappy readers as were the navy ridiculed.

Long in the making
What actually happened, according to Lieutenant Commander Steve Eriksen of the Knysna Sea Cadets, was that he wrote to the chief of the South African Navy in late February, "inviting him, his wife, his ships and personnel to visit the festival as has been done for the past 35 years".

"No response was received and follow-up letters were written in March and April. Telephone calls to the navy communication department were also fruitless," said Eriksen.

Eventually, Eriksen said, organisers of the festival required a programme and so he submitted the same schedule as previous years and 2016.

"At the beginning of June we were informed that the minehunters [which have visited in previous years] were being worked on as a result of old age and that riverine patrol vessels would be sent instead, but that the navy would continue to support the festival."

Eriksen said it was planned that two vessels would enter the Heads on July 10 at 15:00, but he was then told at 14:00 by the navy that the vessels had not left Simonstown yet, "that their fuel had been contaminated and outside contractors were working feverishly to strip and clean the fuel containers".

Only on Tuesday morning did Eriksen hear that only one vessel was operational and coming to Knysna, but would be transported to Mossel Bay by road before sailing to Knysna.

Enter the krokodil
At 17:00 on Tuesday, July 11, the Krokodil class patrol vehicle entered Knysna. According to Eriksen, it took "an impassioned plea and letter" from Knysna mayor Eleanore Bouw-Spies at the last minute, on this Tuesday, to the top brass of the navy to confirm the attendance of the navy band.

Eriksen was informed there would be a naval parade in Main Street only on Tuesday, July 11. "It was too late to get the information out and as such, met with a lack of support," said Eriksen, who tried informing the public via all media including radio.

Then the final straw was the last-minute relocation of the navy band – scheduled for 10:30 on Sunday, July 16 – being moved to the festival pavilion owing to cold, rain and wind. Again, people were not timeously informed.

The navy vessel was loaded onto a trailer to go by road on Monday, July 17, and did not even leave via the Heads.

"In summary, the naval visit for the 2017 Oyster Festival was beset with problem after problem. The naval personnel struggled to make it happen and nearly failed. Then the navy received so much negativity on social media, that whether they will visit in 2018 remains to be seen."

On social media, readers were clearly unhappy with the navy and with the Knysna-Plett Herald for not keeping them accurately informed.

Head of communications for the navy, Commander Sam Khasuli, was asked to comment but had not done so at the time of going to print.

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ARTICLE:  ELAINE KING, KNYSNA-PLETT HERALD EDITOR

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