The Jurassic Giants Festival that was set to take place at Maynardville Park, Wynberg, from Friday 22 September until Sunday 1 October, was shut down to the point of extinction. The festival’s organisers angered and disappointed many ticket holders as well as the City of Cape Town.
In a statement issued by the City’s Media Office on Friday 22 September, the municipality confirmed that the “Dinosaur festival [was] called off due to non-compliance.”
The City said its Events Permit Office (EPO), accompanied by Metro Police, shut down the “unpermitted Dinosaur expo” and cautioned the event had been deemed illegal due to non-compliance with the Events Bylaw and the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act.
“The event organiser hosted the event Dinosaur World Festival Cape Town in Wynberg without permission from the Event Permit Office. The organisers also held the event despite being without a land-use permit.
That application was pending.”
This was backed by video footage shared on social media by underwhelmed festival goers during the festival’s first few days.
In a slew of videos posted about the event on Facebook, one is entitled “This is what you get at the dino world in Wynberg”, the videographer is heard saying. “As you can tell, there are no directions [to exhibitions in the park], no safety, no signage, no nothing. You got workers busy with electrical wiring while children are running around.” [sic]
In a related video the same videographer points to numerous electricity plug points on the terrain, hooked up to varying exhibition dinosaurs and machinery, posing health and safety risks to festival goers and kids.
“So, on a rainy day, these guys (the organisers) left these open plugs everywhere . . . I’m pretty sure these are health and safety violations,” the man critiqued.
In another video posted about the event, a woman, audibly frustrated, points to a lack coordination, a poor selection of activities and food stalls in Maynardville Park, where the festival was being set up.
“It’s almost 10:30 and, quite literally, this is what we paid for. Nothing is set up . . . that’s supposed to be the food [referring to the food stalls] over there, I think. Here’s a sad jumping castle, and that apparently is the rides we were supposed to pay for,” [sic] the woman added, pointing to a ride half-built.
The festival’s social media advertising posted with the handle Dinosaur World on Facebook dated Tuesday 5 September promised structures of prehistoric giants in length of over 10 metres among several other attractions. “Spreading over 15 000 m², various exhibitors, music DJs, food stalls and markets from across Cape Town will participate in the dinosaur jamboree.”
The post additionally boasted: “Dino Expo has switched up gears; and [it’s] full throttle towards a jaw-dropping Jurassic jungle experience . . . The Dino World has gone BIGGER! Figuratively and quite literally.”
The standard ticket prices booked after Saturday 16 September were promoted as follows: common area ticket R40 per person; common area family of four (two kids and two adults) ticket R130; common area family or group of eight tickets (kids and adults) R255; Common area family or group of 16 tickets (kids and adults) R500.
The City went on to confirm that the event organiser was also issued a fine for hosting an event without a permit.
“During the visit to the site, the permit officer found that there were no medical personnel on site and there were groups of young children in what was essentially an unsafe environment.”
The City argues illegal events endanger patron’s lives as a result of the lack of security and crowd management, to name but a few.
“While the City supports events and will continue to play its role as an enabler, it is important that events are hosted in a safe environment that is in accordance with the law.”
As excited citizens commented on the same statement posted by the City on Facebook, asking how long permits take to be issued, the City responded by saying: “The event organiser was asked by the Event Permit Office to submit the land-use application in June. A reminder was sent to him about the land-use application in July and then again early in September. The event organiser submitted the application only in mid-September.
“It is also important to note the event organiser did not apply for Building Development Management approval for large structures erected on the event space and nor did he have those structures signed off by a qualified structural engineer as required by legislation.”
The event has been postponed to be held between 17 and 20 October next year.
The People’s Post spoke to the event organiser David Huni who said, in his opinion: “My event is being discriminated against,” listing numerous disputes related to documentation between several City departments.
“I feel touched by the disappointment faced by the children since I am a father myself who wishes to uphold promises made to them. All kids love dinosaurs and wish to learn more about them. But I prefer to look at the positive side in that we will return to host the show in Cape Town next year,” he vowed.
Huni confirmed that the application processes for all relevant permits necessary will be done all over again to ensure the festival’s success in Cape Town.
“If our clients want a refund, we will do so. If not, they’re existing tickets will still be valid, come next year’s event.”
Ticket holders are urged to contact Dinosaur World SA by sending an email to enquiries@dinoworldsa.com
The City urges anyone who comes across a suspected illegal event, or an advertisement or hears about an illegal event, to email events.permit@capetown.go.za or contact the City’s Events Permit Office on 021 417 4035.
