30/08/2026
Hogsback Beautiful Hogsback had some drama this weekend😶
UPDATE: Please note: Because the Bold Point community of Hogsback were unable to post their direct response to the public statement made by EC Jazz Festival, the decision was made to publish both statements here in the interests of transparency. We wish to keep this post open for all comments as long as it remains useful. We ask that all respondents behave in a mature and respectful manner towards each other and our whole community. Personal attacks, unfounded generalisations, rudeness, foul language. threats and bullying behaviour will not be tolerated. Comments like these will be removed and commenters themselves removed if they persist.
ORIGINAL POST: The Bold Point Community Council has attempted to respond to the false narrative on the EC Jazz Festival page, but has been unsuccessful. In the interests of full disclosure and complete transparency we publish both statements here so that the full story is made public.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM THE BOLD POINT COMMUNITY
Response to the “Music in the Snow” Public Statement
The Bold Point Community has noted with concern the public statement issued by the Music in the Snow organisers. We believe it is important to correct the misinformation and misleading impression created by that statement.
We will not allow a false narrative to be created that suggests the Bold Point Community rejected money, opposed the festival or was manipulated by outside individuals. Those claims are simply not true.
1. We never rejected money offered by Mr Mlindi Ntloko
The claim or implication that the Bold Point Community turned down money offered by Mr Mlindi Ntloko is false.
We were engaged in negotiations with Mr Ntloko regarding the use of the venue and the contribution expected from the organisers. At no stage did the community simply refuse money that was offered to us.
2. The event was advertised while negotiations were still taking place
While we were still negotiating with Mr Ntloko, the event was already being advertised publicly.
This was concerning because the community had not yet reached an agreement with the organisers. It is difficult to understand how an event could be publicly promoted as confirmed while negotiations with the community were still ongoing.
3. Bold Point tried to accommodate the organisers
The community initially requested a payment of R50,000 for the use of the venue.
When we could not reach an agreement at that amount, we were prepared to compromise and reduced our demand to R20,000.
This clearly demonstrates that the community was not trying to prevent the event from happening. We were trying to reach an agreement.
4. The municipality issue
During the negotiations, Mr Ntloko informed us that the municipality had told him that he could not make a payment because the land belonged to the municipality.
Following this claim, we received a call from an official of Raymond Mhlaba Municipality, who informed us that this was not what the municipality had said.
According to the official, the municipality had merely advised the organisers to change the wording of the agreement from a “payment” to a “donation.”
5. The event could not proceed because we could not reach an agreement
After further negotiations, Mr Ntloko and the community still could not agree on the community's demands.
It was then made clear that the event could not proceed at Bold Point because there was no agreement between the organisers and the community.
That is a normal outcome when two parties negotiate and fail to reach an agreement.
6. We were shocked by the municipality's intervention
The community was surprised to receive correspondence from Raymond Mhlaba Municipality attempting to make demands or decisions on behalf of the community, despite the fact that the municipality had not taken the time to properly listen to the grievances raised by the community.
We believe the community's concerns should have been heard and addressed before anyone attempted to speak on our behalf.
7. Nobody properly came to the community to resolve the dispute
Despite the seriousness of the situation, nobody came to the Bold Point Community to properly engage with us and address the problems we had with the organisers.
The Speaker of the municipality came on Friday night. However, the community was not prepared to engage with him under those circumstances, particularly because of his alleged close relationship with the organiser and because his condition on the night raised concerns among community members.
We believe meaningful engagement requires respect, transparency and proper consultation.
8. Bold Point Community is not being used by anyone
We strongly reject the suggestion that the Bold Point Community is being used by another person or group.
We are one family in Hogsback. We have our own challenges, but we are capable of making our own decisions.
Nobody instructed us what to do. Nobody paid us to oppose the event. Nobody manipulated us.
The Bold Point Community made its own decision based on its own experiences and negotiations with the organisers.
9. The organisers must take responsibility for the failure of the event
Mr Ntloko should stop looking for someone else to blame for the problems surrounding Music in the Snow.
The event failed as originally planned, he must honestly examine his own role in the situation, including how he negotiated with the community and how the event was advertised before an agreement had been reached. He was arrogant.
The current situation cannot simply be blamed on a “community protest.”
10. Employment and unpaid community members
The organisers also speak about job creation and the benefits brought to the community.
If Mr Ntloko wants to speak about employment, he must also tell the public about community members who worked for the event previously and, according to the community, were never paid what they were owed.
Job creation means little if workers do not receive the money they earned.
We therefore challenge the organisers to be transparent about all outstanding payments to community members.
On the suggestion that this is about race
We strongly reject the attempt to frame this dispute as a racial issue.
11. Alleged Forgery of Bold Point Committee Signatures
What made the situation even worse was receiving a call from the Station Commander informing us that Mr Mlindi. When som committee arrived at the local police station and that there were concerns regarding signatures purportedly belonging to members of the Bold Point Committee, which had allegedly been used in connection with his liquor licence application.
No person has the right to sign on behalf of community members or the committee without their knowledge and consent.
How can the Bold Point Community be expected to trust someone if our signatures are allegedly being used without our permission?
Hogsback Community has never said that people of a particular race should not visit Hogsback or that festivals should not take place in the area.
This is not about race.
This is about respect, consultation, agreements, accountability and the rights of a community to have a say when an event is being hosted in its area.
Trying to turn a legitimate community dispute into a racial argument is a distraction from the real issues.
Hogsback belongs to everyone. But that does not mean organisers can simply arrive, advertise an event, negotiate afterwards and expect the community to accept whatever terms are presented to them.
A message to Mr Ntloko
Mr Ntloko must take responsibility for his part in this situation.
Hogsback Community did not kill Music in the Snow.
The community negotiated. We compromised. We reduced our original demand from R50,000 to R20,000. We attempted to find common ground.
It is therefore dishonest to portray us as people who simply rejected the event or turned down money.
If Mr Ntloko believes he acted in good faith, then let the full history of the negotiations be made public and let the people decide for themselves.
On the presence of SAPS
We are also concerned about the current situation at the event, where the festival atmosphere appears to have changed significantly, with SAPS members now present and braaing meat at the venue.
We cannot ignore the strained relationship between some community members and SAPS following incidents in which community members were allegedly assaulted. We are particularly concerned about the reported case of an elderly woman who is currently in hospital after allegedly being attacked in her own home.
These matters must be investigated properly, and nobody should use a public event to trivialise or celebrate conflict between the police and the community.
Conclusion
The Bold Point Community remains united.
We are not against development. We are not against tourism. We are not against employment. We are not against visitors coming to Hogsback.
But development must happen with the community, not to the community.
We will not accept lies being presented as facts, and we will not allow our community to be portrayed as ignorant, manipulated or opposed to progress simply because we stood firm during negotiations.
The myth that Bold Point rejected money and deliberately sabotaged Music in the Snow must be put to rest. It is false.
Mr Ntloko must take responsibility for the breakdown in negotiations and stop shifting the blame onto the community.
No one gave us chainsaws, we have our own chainsaws.
Bold Point Community
Hogsback, Eastern Cape
