Cape Town - The Bo-Kaap Civic and Ratepayers Association (BCRA) has started a petition calling for the protection of the culturally and historically significant “Tweede Nuwe Jaar” carnival.
On Monday, an estimated 85000 people converged on the Cape Town CBD for the return of the Cape Town Street Parade or ‘Tweede Nuwe Jaar’ following a two-year-long break due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite a notable outrage over the partnership with betting company Hollywoodbets, resulting in the rebranding to Hollywoodbets Cape Town Street Parade, the change.org petition calling for the protection of the culturally significant route and name has garnered just 31 signatures.
The 3-year partnership with Hollywoodbets commenced with this year’s event.
The petition called for the route from Hanover Street in District Six to Bo-Kaap and then Green Point be recognised as a “cultural heritage route of national significance” and for the protection of the name of the event.
“Furthermore the name Tweede Nuwe Jaar as the name of the event is as important as the route and cannot be sold or renamed. The name has intrinsic cultural heritage value and belongs to the people, and this too must be protected,” read the petition. It also called on the provincial government to declare January 2 a public holiday.
BCRA chairperson Osman Shaboodien said the route and its significance had been hijacked.
“It should reflect its collective history of freedom to slaves, not anything else. It is important that the event that belongs to the most neglected communities should reflect its true history and purpose to the benefit of these communities and our nation. It's an important event and should be taken seriously in its preservation, promotion and funding. To declare it a national living heritage route and event it will cement it in history and for future generations.”
Shabodien said the negative consequences of gambling in the context of communities should also be noted.
The Cape Muslim and Slave Heritage Museum curator and director, Igshaan Higgins said in the mid nineteenth century, Cape slaves were given the day off from their duties on January 2 every year and would dress up as minstrels and dance rhythmically to the sound of banjos, guitars, ghoema drums, whistles, trombones, and tubas.
“Today, the route is threatened by political pandering, cultural appropriation, capitalist imperatives and gentrification.”
Carnival organiser Kaapse Klopse Karnival Association Director Muneeb Gambeno said: “There’s some controversy and we can debate it to the nth degree but the starting point must be what is the nature of this carnival?.
“It's a cultural event; it serves all people. It's not for us to superimpose our religious beliefs on it. Religion is something highly personal.
“It's about the values of the carnival that we should drive, its inclusivity, unlocking the intrinsic value for our people because they own the carnival. Hollywoodbets is an exceptional partner.”
Gambeno said the event cost R6.5 million without branding and minstrel expenses.
“The truth of the matter is that we get good support from the City and the City sponsors the event, but this event is super expensive and if we did not unlock this sponsor, or another sponsor for that matter, I don't think it would have looked or felt the way it did.”
In an interview with the Cape Times, Safety and Security Mayco member JP Smith said that the City is a supporter parade by providing funding towards event logistics to ensure its success.
“The KKKA was the only organisation who applied for funding and an event permit to host the Tweede Nuwe Jaar event. The organisation has been organising the event successfully since 2017 with support from the City.”
Smith added: “The KKKA has been compliant with all the permitting requirements and has met the criteria for funding during this period.”
He went on refute claims of the event being ‘commercialised’.