By Dave Savides
TEMPERS are flaring at St Lucia as battle lines are drawn over a proposed biker rally in the village in May next year.
Conservation-minded residents are lobbying support to keep the roaring machines away from the World Heritage destination, afraid – based on past experience – that the town will be torn apart.
But the organiser believes this attitude is short-sighted, unfair and against the best interests of a community severely hit by declining tourism revenue.Things will come to a head on Monday when Gian Ferraris, veteran of scores of biker rallies, will address objectors at a public meeting in St Lucia.
A harshly-worded email widely circulated by a lodge owner last week pulled no punches in calling for the Wetland Authority to ban the bikers.
Referring to bikers as ‘noisy, often drunk and unruly’, it claims they have ‘total disregard to pedestrians or other motorists’ and will ‘use and abuse’ the area.
‘I do not believe it is necessary to violate our nature village to make some money,’ said originator of the email, Lyzette Kotze, who has received widespread support.
Untruths
However, Ferraris rejected the email as ‘hysterical’ and containing ‘untruths’, and says the proposed Ulysses National Rally will bear no resemblance to an event held last year that led to the stand taken by Kotze and others.
‘Those who know me, know the kind of event I am associated with and I welcome the opportunity to state my case before the residents of St Lucia.’
‘Up front, I want to make the following points, so that people come to the meeting informed, rather than misled:
- we anticipate about 700 members to turn up - not 900 bikes as alleged
- I take exception to the stereotype comments made that are derogatory, hostile and nothing short of insulting to all motorcycle owners
- my intention to bring bikers to St Lucia is for them to appreciate its beauty and its heritage - not for them to ‘destroy’ the town or the fauna and flora within it
- visitors in the category of Ulysseans are influential people who may even invest in property or buy businesses in or around St Lucia, or at least come back with their family and friends for future holidays
- we know that on average every member spends about R1 800 during a rally weekend. This equates to R1.3-million at least that will be spent in St Lucia.
- How many other operators, promoters or organisers bring this number of visitors into St Lucia over one weekend in the off season?
- our previous Ulysses rallies were held in the Drakensberg and the Cape Winelands, both of whom gave glowing references.
- very few of our members, who must be over 40, do the camping thing. Most bring their wives and stay in hotels, lodges, and B&B’s
- it is a fact that bikers donate more to charities in South Africa than any other sporting body. We do toy runs, blood donations, old age home collections and others. The Hippo Rally alone has donated over R200 000 into local causes
- national statistics show that 78% of biking accidents are caused by motorists. Who then should be taken off our roads, bikers or motorists?
- by saying: ‘We should protect…our children and our eco-tourists’, does this imply that bikers will abduct or rape children, or attack tourists?
- the airfield at 121 Battalion, not the town, will be the venue for biking activities.
- my reputation as an organiser is at stake here.’
Welcome sign
Ferraris believes double standards are being applied.
‘Why are calls not being made to ban New Year’s Day beach celebrations when, in peak tourism season, breaking bottles, drunk and disorderly, indecent exposure, littering and urinating in public, bodily assaults, etc are common?
‘We are expecting entrants from all over South Africa and from across our borders.
‘I personally think that a warm welcoming committee would be more appropriate to the bikers than to be confronted by a bunch of hostile residents and misinformed business owners,’ said Ferraris.
‘I would like to change your perceptions and attitudes towards the Ulysseans.’
