GALOOME SHOPANE Thousands of people who will be visiting Mangaung for the annual Mangaung Cultural Festival, better known as Macufe, will have one less thing to worry about during this year’s festivities. Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality is continuing with its efforts to try to help people who come to the city for the love of fun and music with accommodation.The metro is yet again involving ordinary Mangaung metro citizens to be involved the renowned event, while on the other hand, they are able to make money for themselves.
“The city went back to the home-stay programme for Macufe because it has worked for us and it has created some sense of comfort for the people of Mangaung,” says the metro’s spokesperson Qondile Khedama.
Khedama says ever since they started with this year’s marketing of Macufe they have been telling people to book at townships. “We have been recruiting people in our messages throughout the period of marketing Macufe to use ordinary houses of the people of Mangaung in the townships so that they can have a sense of what is happening in the townships,” he says.
Khedama says the “hospitality industry is formal and has certain standards.As part of our economic development as city we are continuing with the home-stay programme (for those who are interested), because it has assisted in the past.
He says those who are interested in the programme and have submitted their names “will be given a crash course on the standard and of what is expected of them.”At the crash course just before the festival, “we will discuss issues of hygiene, security and how much they can charge.”
“We are not expecting anything from the residents, we are only interested in empowering them,” explains Khedama when asked how much residents will be expected to pay in order for them to be registered with the programme.
Khedama says applications close at least four days before the event to prepare for the crash course.
Macufe starts on 4 October and ends on 13 October.
