I did not venture near the city centre on Saturday to see the annual Cape Minstrels march, held on 4 January this year for the first time, to allow more participants than would be the case on the traditional Tweede Nuwe Jaar (2 January), when some of the troupe members would have to be back at work. It is a shame that a tradition with so much heritage should be marred with political posturing by the City of Cape Town and the ANC, and that the Cape Town city centre streets were gridlocked yet again. More than 40000 minstrels were reported by The New Age to have participated.
The city centre was largely closed off for parking for the day, Wale Street being on the route and having metal stands to prevent any parking. We read that some Minstrel march enthusiasts camped on the city’s pavements from the night before, to get the best view of the march. The day started off badly, the troupes leaving Bo Kaap later than announced.
As the 75 troupes marched down from Bo Kaap via Wale Street to the Grand Parade, it caused traffic mayhem on Buitengracht Street in both directions, this street being an important road in and out of Cape Town, as well as on Long Street, as one could not cross Wale Street. We were told that despite horrific parking in this area, not one traffic officer was seen ticketing any of the illegally parked cars. The same shopkeeper on Buitengracht Street told me that whenever he goes to Camps Bay, he manages to get ticketed, and was annoyed that nothing was done on Saturday. We have heard that the Traffic department turns a blind eye to Bo Kaap, not having parking marshalls in this suburb nor are there any traffic cops ever ticketing, apparently due to the shortage of parking in the suburb! We are not complaining, especially about the absence of the arrogant and rude parking marshalls employed by the City of Cape Town.
But it is the politicisation of one of Cape Town’s leading and oldest events that left a sour taste. The (DA run) City of Cape Town’s onerous rules about the route of the march, the date of the march, and the planned appointment of an events company to organise the march led the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association to approach the ANC for assistance. A meeting was held between the minstrel associations and the City of Cape Town, and a compromise was reached, the City agreeing to fund the event with R 6 million in the last minute. The squabble led to the national Minister of Arts and Culture Paul Mashatile announcing that the route should be protected and declared a heritage route, reports Times Live. At one stage the minstrels were threatening to wear ANC armbands, but did not execute this threat. The ANC did distribute pamphlets to claim that it had ‘saved’ the Minstrel parade.
Predictably Grant Pascoe, City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee member for Tourism, Events, and Marketing, took all the credit for the success of the Minstrel’s march: ‘Although there were delays, the event went according to plan and it went off far more smoothly than in previous years. We are pleased to see the streets lined with thousands of people and it was an enjoyable day for all’. Pascoe has been disparaged by the spokesperson for the minstrels!
A Capetonian asked why the Cape Minstrel parade cannot be held at the Cape Town Stadium, a venue which belongs to the City of Cape Town. It would take the pressure off the parking and road usage in the city centre, and would help the City to use the stadium constructively!
POSTSCRIPT 8/1: CNN has traced back the history of the Cape Minstrels march to 1907. It also has ten excellent photographs of Saturday’s march.
Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: @WhaleCottage
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