As the dust settles following a failed Winter Wonderland Festival, an investigation revealed some of the lesser known details behind the unsuccessful planning of the annual event.
The details include the alleged “breakdown of trust” which allegedly resulted in the resignation of Gordon’s Bay Business Forum (GBBF) chairman Gordon Burnham-King on Tuesday 3 October and revelations into the delayed background check done on the appointed ortganiser, Ed Bham.
Investigation prompted
Following months hype created around the Winter Wonderland Festival, the event was cancelled on the morning of Saturday 29 July. This after the event was launched with a parade through the town on Friday. Bham made the call to suspend the rides and trading, and blamed the abrupt and premature shutdown on inclement weather. The City of Cape Town, however, said the event wasn’t permitted to proceed in the first place.
For weeks controversy surrounded the much-anticipated festival, first due to “exorbitant fees for vendors”, which later snowballed into questions on where the money was going and who was benefiting the most (“Winter Wonderland fest ‘rains’ out,” DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette, 2 August).
Report findings
DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette obtained a copy of the investigation report, conducted by an independent investigative team to gain an overview of the organisation and the grievances surrounding the festival.
“The main focus of the investigation was to clarify how the event had to be abruptly cancelled and who was responsible for this,” reads the first page of the report.
On Tuesday 5 September, Elisabeth Schoch, Anthony Rickelton and Mirko Butter were commissioned by members of GBBF’s executive committee and other members present to act as an independent investigation team.
The investigators remarked that previous Winter Wonderland festivals which took place prior to the Covid-19 pandemic was organised within a year. The unavailability of professional organiser Leon Theron meant that the onus to organise the festival rested on GBBF.
“In early February, during a regular GBBF meeting, Burnham-King was approached by Bernie van Zijl, who is on the Ed Bham Foundation committee, regarding professional support and shortly thereafter was put in touch with external organiser Ed Bham of the Ed Bham Foundation (EBF),” reads the report.
It showed the chronological order of events that took place; the first, on 10 February, was when Burnham-King was put in touch with Bham.
On Friday 3 March, he replied to Bham via email and a video meeting between the two was arranged for Monday 6 March. A day later Burnham-King received a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) from Bham to exclusively host the 2023 instalment of the festival.
The next day, the chairman sent an email to members of GBBF’s executive committee and forwarded the proposal (MOU).
“On the basis of the documents available to us, at least three exco members replied and raised critical points regarding the offer and the persona of Ed Bham,” the report explains.
On Thursday 9 March, a video call took place between Ed Bham and the GBBF exco members, and later the same day, Burnham-King sent out an email and starts the voting process for Bham to organise this year’s Winter Wonderland.
On Friday 10 March, five members voted “yes” and one member abstained from voting (due to having no information from the previous day’s meeting). Three members vote “yes” subject to conditions to make adjustments or additions to the contract offer.
Proposal gets green light
The chairman, his wife (as a witness) and Bham signed the MOU, and the payment of the R90 000 due under the contract was confirmed.
On Friday 10 March, Burnham-King receives an email from Bham reading: “Gordon, the team and I are excited about our new partnership . . .” and later five members of GBBF casted their votes.
Burnham-King then sent Bham the contract signed by him in the name of GBBF. He then received an email reply from Bham with a signed MOU upon which he confirmed payment of R90 000.
According to the report the money was paid as a once-off, upfront fee and R30 000 as a monthly retainer that was regarded as a management fee.
The investigative team noted that shortly after signing the MOU with EBF, it “quickly became apparent that the EBF had not adhered to contractual elements” and a “marketing plan” was not present as agreed on. The report further explains that no transparency nor clean communication was practised.
“What is particularly critical, however, is that the EBF’s behaviour led to the local idea of this event being massively undermined and the client, GBBF, being almost placed in a ‘check-mate’ position,” stated the report.
The investigators further elaborated that information from a “whistle-blower” within the Ed Bham Foundation led to the exco initiating background checks on Bham and his foundation.
Red flags pop up
“Although Burnham-King had been informed of the results, nothing much happened until after the exco meeting on Wednesday 14 June,” stated the report.
“In this exco meeting the displeasure with the overall situation with the EBF became clear and some of the known problems were already recorded in the minutes. As a consequence of this, a follow-up meeting of three hours was held at Burnham-King’s house, as a result of which the decision was made to write a letter with all the issues and problems.”
Some of the major problems was “the breach of contract behaviour” and this letter had to be handed over to EBF to get some clear answers.
The report states that the letter which was completed on 22 June was never handed over to the EBF by Burnham-King.
“A review of the letter by us revealed that it contained a total of 16 critical points and also included the two points that were later decisive for the cancellation of the event, namely the permits and the insurance for it,” it added.
Chairman resigns
On Tuesday (3 October), a GBBF meeting was held at Gordon’s Bay Yacht Club, and during this meeting feedback was given on the investigation report.
After the feedback session Burnham-King announced his resignation from the GBBF, elaborating that there was a “breakdown of trust” between himself and the business forum. “At this stage I can’t give any comments. I am however drafting a response,” explains Burnham-King.
Following this meeting a second meeting under the banner of a special general meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 7 November.
“The meeting is for our members and the notice has not been sent out yet, according to the constitution we need to give 10 working days notice.
“It will be in place of our normal Tuesday monthly meeting, in line with Subcouncil 8 requirements,” confirmed the GBBF.
