Emonti Urban Gospel Jazz Festival lacked money

The Emonti Urban Gospel Jazz Festival had to be called off at the 11th hour due to financial troubles, and not the inclement weather.

Festival organisers Litha Yaya and Tulas Mbuyazwe yesterday admitted they had failed to secure the necessary funds to pull off the festival, which was scheduled to bring big names in the music industry to East London last weekend.

First it was due to take place at the end of March, but was postponed two days before the big day.

In a statement that circulated on social media on Saturday morning, the two first blamed the Buffalo City Metro (BCM) strike and the possibility of a thunderstorm predicted by the weather services.

Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Mbuyazwe said the event was postponed because they had failed to raise enough funds to host it.

Despite claiming they had an agreement with one of the sponsors for R1.5-million, the money was not paid over.

They would not identify the sponsor.

“We take full responsibility for this because we did not have enough funds for the event. We don’t want to blame our stakeholders for any of this,” Mbuyazwe said.

Yaya said prior to cancelling, they had sold about 80% of the tickets for the event.

However, Computicket told the Dispatch yesterday that only 800 tickets had been sold, which Yaya denied yesterday. He said ticket sales stood at about 8000.

Nande Mpongo, who was hired to market the show on social media, said he was disappointed by the organisers’ failure to communicate with people on time.

Mpongo said despite working hard to market the event, the organisers had not paid him for his services. “They did not communicate the fact that they were going to cancel the event.

“Since Friday neither of the two have answered any of my messages or phone calls,” he said, adding that he found out via a WhatsApp message the festival had been postponed.

Mpongo said this was not the first time he had worked with the two.

“In our prior engagements, all events were a major success but this has left me speechless. All I ask is some courtesy to at least communicate with me,” he said.

Mpongo also added that if they had sold 80% of pre-sold tickets, then it was impossible to postpone the show at the last minute.

“I’ve done events and the minute you hit the 80% mark that event is confirmed; there is no turning back,” he said.

Metro spokesman Thandy Matebese said the strike, which ended last Thursday, could not have affected the show in any way.

“We don’t manage the stadium; the strike would not have affected the festival,” Matebese said.

In going forward, Mbuyazwe said they would first secure funding before setting a date.

“We will still host this event and the Dispatch will be the first to know.”