MUSINA – The Musina Municipality this week severely criticised both the provincial and national government for not doing enough to help fund the solar eclipse celebrations scheduled for Musina in December this year.

The criticism follows a fact-finding mission to Zambia by a five-member delegation from the Musina Municipality. The mayor of Musina, Alderman D Phologa, led the delegation. During their visit, the delegation met with representatives of the tourism board in Lusaka, who were responsible for organising last year's solar eclipse celebrations. This was done in anticipation of the solar eclipse celebrations to be hosted in Musina in December this year.

According to Musina's Municipal Manager, Mr Abram Luruli it became clear that the Zambian government funded the whole celebration process. This included making funds available to pay entertainers, undertake awareness campaigns and upgrade infrastructure. By doing this, Mr Luruli stated, the Zambian government reached almost all its people, especially through their educational campaign. This included making viewing glasses available and teaching people not to view the eclipse with the naked eye.

Mr Luruli said that their biggest challenge at present is the unwillingness of government to help fund the solar eclipse celebrations. This resulted in the Musina Municipality taking up a loan of R3, 2 million to deal with amongst others security, guides, the development of infrastructure and entertainment. He added that up till now, neither the national nor the provincial government have come forward to help fund the planned festivities. He also said that there is no clear direction in regard to awareness campaigns or the supply of viewing classes.

"The total eclipse will be visible mostly in our rural areas and our people will suffer as they will view the eclipse with their naked eyes, due to the fact that the government has not made any funding available to undertake the awareness campaign and/or supply viewing glasses," Mr Luruli said.

Mr Luruli added that while South Africa is economically more advanced than Zambia, the Zambian government prioritised the festivals and funded the programmes. Here in South Africa, he said, the municipality must go through the pain of taking up a loan while government looks on.

"With very few days left, it is important that budgets be pulled together from different departments so that the municipality will be able to proceed with the preparations."

Despite the problem of funding, Mr Luruli said that the Musina Municipality is ready to host the 2002 Tourism & Eclipse Festival from November 29 until December 4. The celebrations will be held at both the Musina Show Ground and the Nancefield Stadium. Running concurrently with the festival, will be the African Sky Spectacular to be held at High School Eric Louw from December 1 until 6. All these festivities will ensure that residents, visitors and tourists will converge on Musina to experience the solar eclipse phenomenon. World Aids Day on December 1 and the Day for the Disabled on December 3 will also be celebrated at the Eclipse & Tourism Festival.

"If government does not assist with funding, the municipality will continue with the loan and try to educate the communities within their area of jurisdiction," Mr Luruli said.