Durban Dumps Top Gear Fest

The hugely popular Top Gear Festival will not be staged in Durban. This shock revelation was made by the event organisers in a brief media statement on Monday. However, the news wasn’t unexpected.

In January, The Mercury reported that deputy mayor and chairwoman of eThekwini metro’s economic development and planning committee Nomvuzo Shabalala had told the committee that the city did not have money for the event.

Johannesburg now looks the most likely destination. The organisers said on Monday they were looking for an alternative destination and “hope to have more news soon”. Addressing members of the committee at the time, Shabalala abruptly said: “I forgot to mention that we don’t have money for Top Gear. We don’t have it… It happens in June. Also, the World Routes Forum in September. Those are big events and we need the money.”

Shabalala had been briefing the committee on tourism statistics. Top Gear said it had over the past three years enjoyed a “great relationship” with its South African fans and thanked them for their “understanding”.

This year’s event was scheduled to be held on the weekend of 13 to 14 June.

Frustrated show enthusiasts took to the events Facebook page to request clarity. Donella Wright wrote: “Can anyone confirm the change of venue for Top Gear Festival 2015 from Durban to Joburg?! If true, I find it disgusting!”

There had been confusion over show ticket sales, which were apparently meant to go on sale on Monday.

Kamil Ramlaul asked: “Tickets were to be launched today, but nothing is on itickets. Will it really be today?”

The page responded that the tickets would go on sale on 20 March.

Event chief operations officer James Cooke-Priest said “although we will not be in Durban this year, we are taking steps to stage an alternative Top Gear Live event in Johannesburg, and we will be announcing those plans shortly”.

– The Star