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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The details include the alleged \u201cbreakdown of trust\u201d which allegedly resulted in the resignation of Gordon\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019t permitted to proceed in the first place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For weeks controversy surrounded the much-anticipated festival, first due to \u201cexorbitant fees for vendors\u201d, which later snowballed into questions on where the money was going and who was benefiting the most (\u201cWinter Wonderland fest \u2018rains\u2019 out,\u201d DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette<\/em>, 2 August).<\/p>\n\n\n\n DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette<\/em><\/strong><\/span> 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe main focus of the investigation was to clarify how the event had to be abruptly cancelled and who was responsible for this,\u201d reads the first page of the report. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On Tuesday 5 September, Elisabeth Schoch, Anthony Rickelton and Mirko Butter were commissioned by members of GBBF\u2019s executive committee and other members present to act as an independent investigation team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn 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),\u201d reads the report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next day, the chairman sent an email to members of GBBF\u2019s executive committee and forwarded the proposal (MOU). <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOn 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,\u201d the report explains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 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\u2019s Winter Wonderland. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On Friday 10 March, five members voted \u201cyes\u201d and one member abstained from voting (due to having no information from the previous day\u2019s meeting). Three members vote \u201cyes\u201d subject to conditions to make adjustments or additions to the contract offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On Friday 10 March, Burnham-King receives an email from Bham reading: \u201cGordon, the team and I are excited about our new partnership . . .\u201d and later five members of GBBF casted their votes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The investigative team noted that shortly after signing the MOU with EBF, it \u201cquickly became apparent that the EBF had not adhered to contractual elements\u201d and a \u201cmarketing plan\u201d was not present as agreed on. The report further explains that no transparency nor clean communication was practised. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat is particularly critical, however, is that the EBF\u2019s behaviour led to the local idea of this event being massively undermined and the client, GBBF, being almost placed in a \u2018check-mate\u2019 position,\u201d stated the report. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The investigators further elaborated that information from a \u201cwhistle-blower\u201d within the Ed Bham Foundation led to the exco initiating background checks on Bham and his foundation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAlthough Burnham-King had been informed of the results, nothing much happened until after the exco meeting on Wednesday 14 June,\u201d stated the report. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn 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\u2019s house, as a result of which the decision was made to write a letter with all the issues and problems.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the major problems was \u201cthe breach of contract behaviour\u201d and this letter had to be handed over to EBF to get some clear answers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The report states that the letter which was completed on 22 June was never handed over to the EBF by Burnham-King. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA 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,\u201d it added. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On Tuesday (3 October), a GBBF meeting was held at Gordon\u2019s Bay Yacht Club, and during this meeting feedback was given on the investigation report. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After the feedback session Burnham-King announced his resignation from the GBBF, elaborating that there was a \u201cbreakdown of trust\u201d between himself and the business forum. \u201cAt this stage I can\u2019t give any comments. I am however drafting a response,\u201d explains Burnham-King. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Following this meeting a second meeting under the banner of a special general meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 7 November. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt will be in place of our normal Tuesday monthly meeting, in line with Subcouncil 8 requirements,\u201d confirmed the GBBF. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 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 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findings<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Proposal gets green light <\/strong><\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Red flags pop up <\/strong><\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Chairman resigns<\/strong><\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n