MOSSEL BAY NEWS - During a meeting of the financial services committee of the Mossel Bay Town Council on Wednesday the importance of the Buffalo Rally for the local economy was once again highlighted.
The committee discussed a proposal that will ensure the rally, colloquially called the Buff, returns to Mossel Bay in the years to come.
Although it still has to be ratified by council, it is proposed that the current managing agents for the De Bakke Santos Resort be given an approximate 50% discount on the monthly rental for March to offset any financial shortcomings stemming from hosting the rally.
The date proposed for the 2019 Buffalo Rally is 25 to 28 April.
When the council privatised the management of the De Bakke Santos resort, the hosting of the Buff was only contractually guaranteed for three years.
Those three years have passed and the managing agent has indicated it is not financially viable for it to continue hosting the rally as it affects reservations for the rest of the month and season.
The committee heard that a proposal would be brought to council to recommend that the municipality enters into a memorandum of understanding with both the Nomads Motorcycle Club which organises the Buff and the managing agent of the resort regarding the hosting of the rally in Mossel Bay for at least the next few years.
The ACDP and Icosa rued the effect of the rally on the moral fibre of town. Photo: Nickey le Roux
Economic injection
Reacting to concerns about a loss of rental income for the municipality, councillor Mark Furness made a strong argument that the annual Buffalo Rally serves not only as a cash injection into the ailing local economy, but that several job opportunities are created by the Nomads for the duration of the rally.
It was stressed that only part of the monthly rental would be discounted, and that this forfeiture should be weighed up against the effect the rally has on the local economy.
Benevolence
Municipal manager, Advocate Thys Giliomee, reminded councillors that the Buffalo Rally had become a trademark of Mossel Bay over the years, with substantial benefits for local businesses.
"The local economy is hardly thriving and tourism is a key component to drive economic growth."
The executive mayor, Alderman Harry Levendal, stressed the generous contributions the Nomands made annually to deserving causes in Mossel Bay, and said this often went unnoticed.
He also mentioned that the municipality was working towards a programme of increased impetus for tourism and sports tourism projects.
"It is expected of me to politically lead this town towards economic growth, not only for the benefit of a few, but for the benefit of the majority of our residents," the mayor said.
Opposition parties argued that the management of the resorts should never have been outsourced and warned that the recommendation, if approved when proposed to council, may lead to a precedent, the effects of which were difficult to calculate now.
Advocate Giliomee said the current managing agent was contracted particularly as it had the ability to upgrade facilities at the resorts, ultimately to the benefit of the town.
ARTICLE: NICKEY LE ROUX, MOSSEL BAY ADVERTISER NEWS EDITOR
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