News / Local
Sandra Ndebele trashes city council
23 Mar 2015 at 08:49hrs | Views
BULAWAYO musician Sandra Ndebele-Sibindi has blasted the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) for allegedly failing to understand the plight of artistes and has vowed never to use council facilities.
Ndebele-Sibindi, who launched her seventh album Izenzo at the Bulawayo Large City Hall on Thursday, claimed that the council demanded she pays the full amount of the venue even though she had paid over $2,000 of the $3,600 required.
This according to Ndebele-Sibindi caused the delay to the starting of the programme by an hour.
Sandy, as Ndebele-Sibindi is affectionately known said this showed the total disregard that the BCC has for artistes despite her bringing business to the council.
"I will never hire council facilities, better I do such ceremonies at my house in the garden. Imagine who brings so much business to one place on a Thursday night and fills it up in this day and age in an environment where money is hard to come by and you've people like that treating you like nothing," said Ndebele-Sibindi.
"They made me look for $3, 600 for the venue and I said fair and fine we shall look for it. I paid $2, 000 and the balance was left.
"On Wednesday at 3PM I get the rest of the money deposited to my bank account. I phone the city council and say can I send it through money transfer and they said as long as the money isn't paid in cash they won't open the venue," said Ndebele-Sibindi.
She said she woke up the next morning and went to the bank to withdraw the money but alas BCC workers were instructed to lock doors although she had the balance in hand.
"Plan B I woke up the next morning and went to the bank, withdrew the money and took it to pay. While I was doing that the people who were doing the decor and all were outside and were denied entry, said Ndebele-Sibindi.
Efforts to secure a comment from the local authority on the musician's claims failed yesterday. However, council's financial standing has been poor for many years as residents owe it millions in rates.
Last year Ndebele-Sibindi's quest to use the Large City Hall for free to launch her album suffered a setback with the BCC turning down her request citing financial constraints.
Ndebele-Sibindi, who launched her seventh album Izenzo at the Bulawayo Large City Hall on Thursday, claimed that the council demanded she pays the full amount of the venue even though she had paid over $2,000 of the $3,600 required.
This according to Ndebele-Sibindi caused the delay to the starting of the programme by an hour.
Sandy, as Ndebele-Sibindi is affectionately known said this showed the total disregard that the BCC has for artistes despite her bringing business to the council.
"I will never hire council facilities, better I do such ceremonies at my house in the garden. Imagine who brings so much business to one place on a Thursday night and fills it up in this day and age in an environment where money is hard to come by and you've people like that treating you like nothing," said Ndebele-Sibindi.
"They made me look for $3, 600 for the venue and I said fair and fine we shall look for it. I paid $2, 000 and the balance was left.
"On Wednesday at 3PM I get the rest of the money deposited to my bank account. I phone the city council and say can I send it through money transfer and they said as long as the money isn't paid in cash they won't open the venue," said Ndebele-Sibindi.
She said she woke up the next morning and went to the bank to withdraw the money but alas BCC workers were instructed to lock doors although she had the balance in hand.
"Plan B I woke up the next morning and went to the bank, withdrew the money and took it to pay. While I was doing that the people who were doing the decor and all were outside and were denied entry, said Ndebele-Sibindi.
Efforts to secure a comment from the local authority on the musician's claims failed yesterday. However, council's financial standing has been poor for many years as residents owe it millions in rates.
Last year Ndebele-Sibindi's quest to use the Large City Hall for free to launch her album suffered a setback with the BCC turning down her request citing financial constraints.
Source - chronicle
