The sudden move by Durban Tourism to re-open applications for companies that want to partner with the city in staging events that may help promote it as a destination has raised eyebrows within the municipality and in the entertainment sector.
Sources within the municipality told IOL that the move is meant to save face after the initial window was closed too early, leaving a whole group of interested stakeholders out.
They also claimed that the initial window period was badly handled and only catered for a few events, mainly during the December festive season.
The earlier move to be open about how events are funded was sparked by an expose by IOL in June after a whistle-blower lifted the lid about how events of politically connected figures were milking the budget allocated for that.
The entity then opened the process by inviting proposals with a cut-off date of June 19.
On Tuesday, the window was re-opened, and it will close on August 17.
In the entertainment sector, some role players who alerted IOL of the move said the re-opening of the window is meant to bring on board politically connected individuals who missed out in June.
Another source within the entity said little would be achieved by reopening the window as the R42 million budget for events has already been allocated.
"That cake (budget) is no longer there, I can tell you; the money has already been allocated for various events like the Metro FM Awards that are coming to Durban. The new proposals won't get any funding at all. This is window dressing after a lot of people were not able to submit their proposals," the internal whistle-blower said.
Others in the entertainment sector of the city said the move was suspicious.
"Some of these politically connected e-entertainment organisers were caught off guard and missed the deadline. They realised that they couldn't get funded without being on that list of proposals," the source said.
Another one shared a letter Durban Tourism wrote to those who applied when the window opened in the first round.
Dated July 17, 2023, Durban Tourism told those who had applied that their applications were already being evaluated.
"Received applications are currently undergoing evaluation... The evaluation outcomes by the task team will be submitted as a recommendation to the Council for final approval, which will be duly communicated to you within the upcoming weeks," reads the letter.
Despite all the misgivings, the city's spokesperson, Gugu Sisilana, said the decision was taken after it was discovered that the list was not diverse enough.
"There have been companies that have applied; however, after much deliberation, it was decided that the number of applications was not diverse enough. We have then decided to extend the deadline to allow for those companies that may have not had enough time to apply to do so.
Sisilana denied that the window was being reopened to accommodate politically connected figures in the entertainment industry.
"The allegations that this is done to allow for ‘politically connected’ companies to apply is sinister and mischievous and could not be further from the truth because regardless of when an application reached the City, the success of an application is not based on a ‘first come, first served’ basis," Sisilana added.
She said that although they have already started evaluating the other proposals, the new ones won't be disadvantaged.
"As you have stated, evaluations have begun and will continue as more applications trickle in. Again, we reiterate to all applicants, the condition that a submission of a proposal does not automatically guarantee a successful application," Sisilana said.
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