OUDTSHOORN NEWS - The Executive Mayor of the Greater Oudtshoorn Municipality, Johan Allers, has issued a firm warning to individuals and organisations planning special events within the municipal jurisdiction: such events must be declared to the municipality beforehand so that legal and safety requirements can be put in place.
“This is not negotiable – all special events must be formally approved before they take place,” he stressed. “Any gathering outside of the norm, a concert, a conference, or a cultural exhibition – if it involves people gathering for a specific purpose, it’s considered an event and must be declared.”
Alderman Allers made this clear during the Events Committee meeting held on Thursday, 12 June, which he chairs. He explained that the term event includes a broad range of activities: entertainment, recreation, education, cultural and religious gatherings, business-related functions, charitable drives, exhibitions, conferences, and organised activities, as defined in relevant municipal regulations.
The requirement is set out in the Greater Oudtshoorn Municipality’s Policy on Public Gatherings and Special Events, based on the Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (Act 32 of 2000) and local by-laws.
The mayor warned that municipal law enforcement officers are authorised to immediately shut down any unauthorised event.
“There’s no minimum number of people that qualifies something as an event. If it’s outside the ordinary and it involves public activity, it must be reported. This is about safety, accountability, and compliance,” he concluded.
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