REGIONAL MONTHLY STATUS REPORT

Mitchells Plein Festival

Event report

Region:Western Cape Month: 7 December 2010

Mitchells Plein Festival. 26-28 November
Festival Objectives
This festival aimed to promote greater levels of social cohesion between various communities. It also aimed to create business opportunities and training for local SMME s. This festival created trading and training opportunities for approximately 300 local residents from Mitchells Plein and Khayelitsha. A festival function was hosted for the President and the Premier.
SETA regional staff members worked in shifts to ensure representation at the SETA stall from Friday 26 till Sunday 29 November.
Report on the deliverables as per proposal and contract:
Cycle of Life submitted a proposal to the W&RSETA Board and the following benefits to the SETA were outlined:
  • The SETA will have naming rights for the 2010 Mitchells Plein Festival: this was evident during the proceedings of the programme from Friday till Sunday 28 November 2010. The programme director repeatedly mentioned that this festival was brought to all by the W&RSETA.
  • W&RSETA name and logo would be included in all advertising; marketing; promotional and public relations and material associated with the event: it was noticed that this was fulfilled with an exception of the access and VIP cards. The event organizer explained that these were finalized before the SETA committed to sponsor the festival.
  • SETA will have unlimited branding: SETA banners were visible outside the fence of the venue; on the main stage and VIP tent and on the SETA stall.
  • The SETA stall will be close to the main stand: The stall was situated in front, close to the entertainment area. SETA regional staff handed out career guides to people that came to the stall and also walked and handed registration forms for NLP companies to all the SMEs that had stalls at the festival. Completed forms were collected and these will be sent to head office for capturing into the NLP database.
  • VIP Dinner: The dinner was attended by President Zuma and Premier Zilleas promised by the organizer of the festival. Other VIP guests included Minister Trevor Manual, Deputy Minister Marius Fransman and Randal (from Idols). The W&RSETA was represented by CEO Mr. Joel Dikgole, the Chairperson of the board, Mr. Ivan Molefe, Board Member Mike Wilson, Executive Manager Southern Regions, Mrs. Ankie Kemp, Executive Manager Marketing and Communications, Sindiso Malaku as well as Lana v/d Westhuizen and Busi Kweyi-Ngubelanga from the Western Cape Regional Office.
  • The Training of 300 SMMEswill commence after the festival: Allparticipating stall owners weretrained before the festival. The training of the seta programme for SMMEs started on Monday 6 December. Up to date (07/12) 58 learners were verified by W&RSETA and training on customer care; behaving in a professional manner and sales were conducted. A benefit template with all learner information will be submitted at the end of the training. This training is being conducted by a W&RSETA accredited BEE provider; Qhamani Development and Training. It is anticipated that the trainingwill be completed by the end of the third week of January 2011.

Challenges and recommendations going forward:

  • Timeous board approval for the sponsorship of the festival will assist in planning
  • A clear programme indicating all the activities will assist in planning
  • Tables and other infra-structure should be available early on the Friday afternoon to enable stall owners to set up before the festival starts
  • Issuing VIP cards on the afternoon before the event resulted in VIPs not being able to gain access at the gate; these cards should be issued well in advance
  • Rushed payments as a result of the late approval of the project will be managed over a longer period if the board approval is earlier next year
  • The VIP Dinner ran out of beverages; this will be better planned and managed if the seta is involved in the planning of the dinner
  • Invite large Retailers on Board to support the people of the area (invite their ideas on collaboration)

New Idea to link competition to skills development (this year the prize was a house)

  • A competition where the prize will entitle a learner or learners who successfully complete grade 12 and adhere to certain stipulated criteria to a bursary for Retail Management Studies.If run in the local news papers the seta will get excellent exposure. One could also link sponsored workplace experience for unemployed as another component of this competition

Report Completed by: Busisiwe Kweyi-Ngubelanga & Lana v/d Westhuizen Date: 07 December 2010

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MITCHELLS PLEIN FESTIVAL REPORT