“With the release of this statement there are still conflicting reports on the status of a planned protest action by the ANC Youth League in Pretoria,” said AIG spokesperson Barnard Beukman today.
“Afrikaans is Groot however wants to confirm that the concerts are going ahead, protest action or no protest action.”
He said the AIG organisers would not be intimidated and were working full steam ahead to make a success of each concert.
The ANC Youth League had planned to march against Afrikaans singer Steve Hofmeyr, who was due to participate in the AIG events at Moreleta Church between November 14 and 22.
Hofmeyr has been in the spotlight following tweets about apartheid.
In October, Hofmeyr tweeted: “Sorry to offend but in my books Blacks were the architects of Apartheid. Go figure.”
The tweet caused a stir on social media and Hofmeyr was accused of being racist, stupid, and a peddler of ignorance.
A column in The Times by ventriloquist and comedian Conrad Koch questioned supermarket Pick n Pay and Land Rover for sponsoring the AIG festival.
ANCYL in Tshwane called on progressive Afrikaners to reject people like Hofmeyr, who disseminated “racial venom”.
The organisation said while they fully respected the right of all national groups to practise their cultures in peace, they wholeheartedly condemned the statements made by Hofmeyr.
“We call on progressive Afrikaners to reject and isolate those who insist on spreading racial venom,” said ANCYL spokesperson Justin de Swardt stoday.
“... We cannot allow racism to occur without consequence and it is thus critical that we make this call for the isolation and confrontation of racist elements.”
Beukman said effective security measures were in place at the concert venue.
“Therefore an appeal is made to concert goers to exercise their right to come and experience the concerts they paid to attend,” he said.
“Currently there are also conflicting reports on if the ANC Youth League’s application at the Tshwane metro was within the prescribed time period.”
AIG trusted that the authorities would consider the application within the prescribed regulations.
“AIG will be in [continuous] communication with concertgoers and keep them abreast of any new developments on this issue,” said Beukman.
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