Dear Mr. Sikkie Kajee
TJ
Last year, after the subtle intervention of my lawyers, all PACT VIP and
Encore members where finally informed that the State Theatre was unable to
refund us our contributions to the performing arts in the city.
According to today's Pretoria News, you are tonight spending no less than
R1.000.000 on a grand opening party for the State Theatre - "heralding a new
era in the cultural life of Pretoria". Sadly this magnificent event is only
for the few invited, and one may question whether the money shouldn't rather
have been spent on supporting the performing arts instead of an exclusive
party function for the politically correct.
It goes beyond me, that an orchestra from Durban is transported here and
accommodated at great costs, when there are countless classical musicians
here in Pretoria trying to make a meagre living out of the odd freelance
jobs. Their situation is a direct result of Minister Ngubane's incompetent
handling of the State Theatre, and giving them the job of entertaining the
faithful may have brought a little bit of sunshine back into their lives.
Obviously this is a political decision, but as the State Theatre is now back
in the red, I am sure that a lot of us are eagerly awaiting a cheque from
you, with interest of course, for the money owed to us for more than a year.
I suggest this happens before April 15, 2001, failing which I will be taking
appropriate legal steps to recover the money due to myself and other
contributors.
Yours faithfully,
JENSEN SAFARIS,
Holger Krogsgaard Jensen
Jensen Safaris - Tour Operators
P.O. Box 4769 - Pretoria 0001 - SOUTH AFRICA
Telephone (012) 4 60 60 37 - international +27 12 4 60 60 37
Fax (012) 346 16 92 - international +27 12 346 16 92
Cellphone 082 556 15 15/6 - international +27 82 556 15 15/6
Homepage: www.jensensafaris.com - ICQ 16576797
Manager Benny Nørgaard Bjerg - ICQ 27422800
Established 1980
Now 21 years of reliable service to the Scandinavian Travel Trade and
individual guests
--
"Arts world in one website"
http://www.artslink.co.za
Arts and Culture Trust of the President Award
Electronic Media of the Year in support of the arts
Winner 1998, Finalist 1999 and Nominated 2000/1
Support South African Arts and Culture:
Dial-Up with Artslink.co.za and save!
http://www.at.artslink.co.za/isp
Debate issues affecting the arts and culture industry
http://www.at.artslink.co.za/egroups.htm
ICQ: 87315418
TJ
Over the years we have spent countless nights at the State Theatre with our
overseas tour groups and individual visitors. They have gone back to their
home countries full of praise for what they saw, genuinely amazed by how a
country like South Africa could produce such talent and superb productions.
Well, that was until some terrible day in July last year, when the entire
State Theatre staff was made redundant and the cultural life of Pretoria
placed in turmoil.
We had taken out a so-called Encore membership, which entitled us to 20 free
tickets for productions each year for five years. A fantastic concept, by
which we were able to secure cheap and good seats for our overseas clients.
In addition we had just renewed a VIP membership, with additional free
tickets and early bookings before the general public. Since the closure of
PACT no-one at the State Theatre has ever replied to faxes or e-mails
concerning refunds, even though the person originally in charge told me that
she had personally drawn up a list of contributors, so that refunds could be
paid out speedily. I put my lawyer onto Mr. Sikkie Kajee and eventually we
were served with a more than vague letter, telling us that no funds were
available and we would just have to bear with them until further notice. In
other words, the theatre as such was insolvent, unable to pay its creditors.
I genuinely considered taking the matter to court, seeking a declaration of
insolvency against the theatre, and may still do so, because that may be the
only way to make them wake up. In any event, this little fairy tale has cost
us a total R9.900 up to now.
The State Theatre was closed a week before the arrival of the Principals and
Soloists of the Royal Danish Ballet, for which we had supplied air tickets
at cost price and free accommodation, something which had been many months
in the planning. The poor Danes could not even obtain a refund for their
tickets and I had no other option than putting up the performances myself,
rather than being stuck with 28 ballet members unable to perform. A most
embarrassing situation, but running around with pamphlets and posters and
bombarding a handful of nice people in the press, we managed to put up two
sell-out performances and everyone was happy about the final outcome. The
now redundant technical staff of the State Theatre treated us like kings,
and were indeed up to their usual high standards.
I wrote in the programme: "The performances on 19/07/2000 and 20/07/2000
have replaced the historic joint season originally planned in conjunction
with the now defunct State Theatre Ballet. They symbolise a defiance of the
senseless closure of the State Theatre and the subsequent sacking of its
talented workforce, including the entire Ballet Company and the New Arts
Philharmonic Orchestra. The loss to local artists and audiences is
incalculable and is an indication of an appalling lack of understanding for
the arts. The city of Pretoria has in the process also lost one of its major
tourist attractions, which for decades has won admiration from overseas
visitors."
Our emergency plans may have given some other people bright ideas, because
soon after comes along Maestro Entertainment and their manager Mr. Chris
Lodewyk, a strange fellow who I would not have trusted as a house sitter
myself, but before long, he was treating the State Theatre as his new home
and dishing out plans for last year's X-mas performances. Over the years
these shows have always been big money spinners for the State Theatre, and
we were all delighted that the house had been put on a commercial footing. I
booked 40 tickets for a Danish tour group coming down for X-mas and other
individual groups, after being assured that the show "It's not where it
starts" was of a high quality, accompanied by a live band and with the best
performers money could buy. Well, those of you who actually managed to see
the show would have noticed that the band was indeed missing, and even
before our tour groups had arrived, the show had folded and all further
performances subsequently cancelled.
We had bought our tickets directly from Maestro Entertainment, and pleas for
refunds were once again met with vague answers - "try again on Monday when
Mr. Lodewyk is back at the office", but now he has disappeared without
trace, the cell number left behind is not functioning and his present
whereabouts unknown. This way my company managed to waste another R5.000 on
the promotion of Pretoria's cultural life, having to fork out a new cheque
for the show "Eclipse" at Caesars. You see, in Denmark where I sell my tours
you have consumer protection, and if you have sold a tour including a show,
you have to give the visitors a show, unless you want trouble with the
Danish Travel Agents Board after their return. I can't just pass the laws of
Africa onto my trusted clients.
A lot poorer, but not much wiser, I regularly point out this big White
Elephant which was once the cultural centre of Pretoria to our visitors, and
as I tell the tale of how this grand institution went down the drain, they
listen in disbelief. They cannot imagine how anyone can treat its cultural
heritage in this way. They may go back with good memories of South Africa's
wildlife and tourist areas, but they certainly won't go back with any fond
memories of its cultural life. Any thoughts of bringing back the State
Theatre to its former glory is unfortunately just another piece of theatre,
a grand illusion and nothing else.
In any event, I won't bet my money on it! Not again...
Kind regards,
JENSEN SAFARIS,
Holger Krogsgaard Jensen
Jensen Safaris - Tour Operators
P.O. Box 4769 - Pretoria 0001 - SOUTH AFRICA
Telephone (012) 4 60 60 37 - international +27 12 4 60 60 37
Fax (012) 346 16 92 - international +27 12 346 16 92
Cellphone 082 556 15 15/6 - international +27 82 556 15 15/6
Homepage: www.jensensafaris.com - ICQ 16576797
Manager Benny Nørgaard Bjerg - ICQ 27422800
Established 1980
Now 20 years of reliable service to the Scandinavian Travel Trade and
individual guests
jake.ge...@gmail.com
Thanks
Jake