The Western Cape High Court has ruled in favour of the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA), ordering the City of Cape Town to provide a suitable venue for minstrel troupes to participate in their cultural competition.
The judgment was handed down late on Monday night following an urgent application by the CTMCA, after the City withdrew approval for the use of Vygieskraal Stadium and declined a separate street parade permit.
Celebrations
Court proceedings stretched late into the night, with dozens of minstrels packing the courtroom while others gathered outside.
Celebrations erupted as news of the ruling filtered through, with singing, dancing and music marking what supporters described as a major victory for cultural heritage.
Several community and political organisations attended the proceedings in support of the minstrels, including the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), which had publicly backed the association ahead of the court decision.
The CTMCA told the court that it was informed that approval to use Vygieskraal Stadium had been withdrawn without any explanation.
Application rejected
The association also said its application for a street parade scheduled for Saturday, 3 January was rejected, despite ongoing engagement with the City to meet regulatory requirements.
According to the association, additional documents were requested by the City as part of the permit process.
While some of these were submitted by its safety officer, the officer was later informed that the application had already been declined.
The CTMCA argued that the lack of reasons left it with no option but to approach the court on an urgent basis.
It further maintained that the matter was of broader public importance, given the deep cultural and historical significance of the minstrel tradition in Cape Town.
Requested a postponement
When the case was initially heard over the weekend, the City requested a postponement to prepare opposing papers.
The court granted a short postponement and ordered the City to file further submissions before the matter was heard on Monday.
In its ruling, the court ordered the City to provide a suitable venue to enable minstrel troupes to take part in the competition.
The City of Cape Town has, as the time of publishing, yet to comment on the matter.
