Outrage over show

Date: 08 August 2014 By: Isabel Venter

Enraged! This word does not even come close to describing residents’ livid feelings with regard to criminal activities that originated from the Makhado (Louis Trichardt) show grounds while this year’s annual show was underway.

Following the days after the event, the organisers of the show, Makoya Multi Media, once again came under severe criticism. The show, which took place from 31 July to 2 August, again caused many a resident a sleepless night. In actual fact, the show continued until the early morning hours of Sunday morning.

Aside from the deafening noise of Saturday’s music festival, show attendees caused mayhem wherever they went. One person, a man in his twenties, was found stabbed to death near the park opposite the show grounds on Sunday morning.

Local police spokesperson W/O Takalani Madzhigili further confirmed that the police had, during the three days of the show, charged 111 people with drinking in public, 20 for public drunkenness, three for urinating in public, three for road traffic contraventions and two for prostitution. Apart from these charges, police members on duty at or near the show grounds also investigated one complaint of rape. On more than one occasion, the police also had to use pepper spray to control the rowdy crowd to enable the Makhado Fire Brigade to douse fires started by the crowds.

Residents living near the show grounds, apart from losing sleep, also had to witness people defecating in public, even in residents' gardens.  

People who seemed to grow tired of the show’s activities simply continued their partying and drinking spree in the park opposite the show grounds. “It was simply awful. There were minors drinking, fighting and just a cacophony of different music playing at top volume from within and outside the show grounds,” said Mr Gerard Taute, who lives in Rooibok Street. He applauded the efforts of the Makhado police. “However, there were masses of people, and I think they were just too many for our local police to handle. I strongly recommend that the police should ask for reinforcements from neighbouring police stations next year,” said Gerard.

Other residents, like Inalize Burger Fourie who stays about three kilometres away from town on the Levubu road, also said they were able to hear the music of the show at their home. “They should rather move the show to Thohoyandou,” remarked Inalize. Eltivillas residents were not so kind in their remarks, condemning the organisers of the show to hell.

Mr Hangwe Netshifhefhe from Makoya Multi Media apologised again and tried to explain what had happened. Inside the show grounds, he said, there were designated points were people could drink liquor and listen to music. As soon as these people went outside the boundaries of the show grounds, they did not fall under the protection of Makoya, and the police then became responsible for controlling them.

Netshifhefhe also confirmed that there were performing artists who did not pitch, as well as a few who did not get to perform. This is why the performances dragged on and did not finish at midnight.

“It is very difficult when you have 25 000 people or more who are dancing and listening to music to turn off the music at midnight, because then you will have riots as the night is still young and they want to party,” said Netshifhefhe. “Unfortunately, some people come with their own agenda, who drink, rape and stab other people … that is an unfortunate, harsh reality of life.”

Netshifhefhe added that the Makoya team strongly condemned this type of behaviour. “Those people who do this kind of mischief, we cannot identify ourselves with them. They are not part of us; they will never be part of us; they have never been part of us.”

Rumours that a part of the entrance money of the show had gone missing or had been stolen could not be confirmed. Netshifhefhe said he was unwilling to comment on this as the matter was still being investigated to determine if money was really missing.

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Isabel Venter

Isabel joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in 2009 as a reporter. She holds a BA Degree in Communication Sciences from the University of South Africa. Her beat is mainly crime and court reporting.

More photos... 

Two show goers photographed early Sunday morning on the corner of Songozwi and Grobler Street. The two was spotted leaving the show ground after the music festival and collapsing for a snooze on the pavement. The park opposite the showgrounds on Sunday morning.