The Kiffness won’t pull out of Greenmarket Square concert after refugee evictions

05 March 2020 - 09:47 By Kyle Zeeman
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The Kiffness will perform in Cape Town's Greenmarket Square.
The Kiffness will perform in Cape Town's Greenmarket Square.
Image: Gallo Images/Dereck Green

The Kiffness's David Scott has resisted calls to boycott a free concert in Cape Town's Greenmarket Square on Thursday, after the eviction of refugees from the area at the weekend.

TimesLIVE reported earlier this week that refugees were removed from the square by law-enforcement officers on Sunday, after a court order allowed the city to enforce its bylaws by removing the group and its structures.

The refugees said xenophobia was putting their lives at risk and they wanted to be moved to another country. This was disputed by an anonymous refugee from the group this week.

The area has been a hotbed of contention for several weeks and the First Thursdays Free Concert came under scrutiny for deciding to host its concert in the square.

While some applauded concert organisers for trying to revive tourism and business in the area, others said it was celebrating the refugees leaving.

In a lengthy statement on Facebook, The Kiffness said it had agreed to perform at the gig, but was soon flooded with messages from concerned fans asking why.

David called a journalist who covered the story of the refugees, Cape Town premier Alan Winde and Reverend Alan Storey, who is housing 300 refugees at the Central Methodist Mission in Cape Town.

After several discussions David decided to push ahead with the gig.

“The bottom line is that this concert in no way affects the refugees now living in the church or those now living on Albert Street. It’s First Thursdays Cape Town and encouraging people to get out and enjoy the streets has always been what First Thursdays has been about.

“While we understand that Greenmarket Square comes with a loaded history, I’m not sure pulling out of the gig will help achieve anyone’s aims, and the intention of this music event is to encourage the public to return to the space as a safe environment for the public and tourists, and it is certainly not to celebrate the fact that the refugees have left.”

He announced that he would donate 15% of his fees from the show to charity.

“We wish no ill harm on anyone and hope to see you at the show. I have pledged to donate 15% of my gig fee from this show to a suitable charity (still to be confirmed which charity will be most suited to use these funds).”

Read the full statement below.

When I first accepted this gig, I was excited because I love playing First Thurdays. It was business as usual. But...

Posted by The Kiffness on Wednesday, March 4, 2020

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