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Get set! Life's all a Rage in Plett

Nwabisa Masiza|Published

MORE THAN R45million has been brought into the local economy by the Plett Rage Student Festival, according to organiser Anthony Jacobs.

He said yesterday that 5000 people had supported the event. The festival runs until Friday.

“It is massive income for the town and we are very happy and proud of the achievement. This year’s event has had a larger growth, and the majority of the people who came in support are from the Western Cape. We also have some from the Eastern Cape and other regions,” Jacobs said.

The Plett Rage Student Festival, organised each year for the past 16 years, is a student festival which hosts beach events, sports competitions, brand activations and entertainment by local performers.

Jacobs said that about four years ago, the focus shifted from just catering to matriculants to encompassing students also wrapping up the academic year. “We decided that the festival is also something that people finishing school also need to experience, as it defines any student’s life. We try to make the hosting of the event as affordable as possible,” he said.

However, some youngsters were allegedly defrauded by an accommodation agent. They booked and paid online only to discover that the accommodation was not available.

One mother from East London, Jacqui Luck, had paid R34500 for a group of 10. “Some of the teenagers in the group paid their share through holiday jobs and hard work throughout the year,” Luck said.

She had contacted the company about whether the group should bring bedding. “We were told all they needed to bring were swimming towels.

“When I phoned (on Friday), the number provided was no longer available.” She said the teenagers had arrived at the property but had been informed that it had been booked for the period by others. Luck reported the matter to the police.

Plettenberg Bay Tourism spokeswoman Patty Butterworth said they believed about 50 youngsters had fallen victim to the scam.

Plett Rage organisers and residents came to their rescue. Some residents offered free accommodation at their own homes while organisers offered free accommodation for the youngsters at the Rage Village at Forever Resort just outside the town.

Butterworth said a fund-raising drive launched on Friday had brought in an additional R5000 towards accommodation for some of the victims.

Jacobs said he was concerned because the agents had used the official Plett Rage logo..