Cape Town’s Dinosaur World Festival was shut down immediately after authorities deemed it unsafe and found that it was operating without the relevant permit.
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City of Cape Town spokesperson Luthando Tyhalibongo says the organisers held the event without a Land-use permit for the use of Maynardville Park in Wynberg, and the application was still pending.
‘During the visit to the site, the permit officer found that there were no medical personnel on site and there were groups of young children in what was essentially an unsafe environment.
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‘While the City supports events and will continue to play its role as an enabler, it is important that events are hosted in a safe environment that is in accordance with the law,’ says Tyhalibongo, adding that illegal events endanger the lives of patrons due a lack of security and crowd management.
According to the City of Cape Town, the event was shut down by the Events Permit Office (EPO) accompanied by Metro Police. A fine was issued to the event organiser for hosting an event without a permit.
The festival organisers released a statement on their website to confirm the shutdown. ‘We regret to inform you that the Dino Expos, which was originally scheduled to open its doors on the 22nd of September 2023, has been postponed due to unforeseen circumstances.
‘In our ongoing efforts to bring this incredible event to life, we have been in constant communication with the Cape Town event application office since July. Despite our meticulous planning and investments of millions of rands, we received [an] unexpected communication from the event permit office only today, stating that the Dino Expo could not proceed as planned.
‘This situation has caught us completely off guard, and we share in your frustration and disappointment. We are actively working to resolve this matter and secure a new date for the Dino Expo. We kindly ask for your patience and understanding during this challenging time.’
To read the full statement, visit https://dinoworldsa.com/.
The organisers further state that a confirmed date for the re-scheduled event will be communicated in due course. Ticket holders are advised that existing tickets will remain valid until a new date has been confirmed. Once a new date is secured, new tickets will be issued.
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