Questions still linger over whether Winter Wonderland will still proceed as planned following an updated statement from the City of Cape Town on Thursday (27 July) that the organiser had been issued with a non-permit letter due to no compliance.
“The event cannot continue as it is not permitted,” said City spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo, and added that “The event organiser has recourse to appeal the Events Permit Office’s decision to the Appeals Authority, a process that can take up to 21 days. In the case of Winter Wonderland, the event is not permitted to proceed until there’s an outcome from the Appeals Authority.”
“Their appeal is currently being assessed. The process can take up to 21 days,” he pointed out.
According to the official schedule that is still being advertised, the event was scheduled to start earlier today (27 July) with a launch party at Krystal Beach Hotel in Gordon’s Bay and a ‘light parade’ on Friday evening at 19:00.
Earlier this week controversy surrounded the much-anticipated Winter Wonderland festival after confirmation by the City of Cape Town that no permits had been issued and the event was not permitted to take place. This was on Monday 24 July, just days before the festival was scheduled to begin.
Meanwhile, rumours that event organiser Ed Bham of the Ed Bham Foundation was arrested and charged with fraud in connection with a case dating back to 2015 were confirmed by provincial police (“Winter ‘Blunder’land’,” District Mail & Helderberg Gazette, 26 July).
The Ed Bham Foundation was probed for comments surrounding the latest confirmation from the City that permits were not issued, but the Foundation declined to comment.
Pressed on what would happen if the festival went ahead without the permits in place, Tyhalibongo responded: “We stand by the comment previously provided and cannot pre-empt possible future transgressions.”
