JOBURG PRIDE QUESTIONED OVER HIV TESTING SPACE FEE
OUT, the Pretoria-based LGBTI health and well-being NGO, is up in arms over what it says is an exorbitant fee being charged by Joburg Pride for it to offer free HIV testing at the event.
According to OUT, it was told by Joburg Pride that it would have to pay R 5,000 for a 27 square meter space at Saturday’s Pride day at Zoo Lake Sports Club.
This space would allow it to erect three small gazebos for HIV screening and counselling.
“It is not acceptable for Pride, which should be a community event, to be charging non-profit organisations this kind of money for us to provide these services,” said OUT’s Director Dawie Nel.
“We had to pay an exorbitant amount last year for this, but we are not prepared to do it again this year,” he said.
Joburg Pride Chair Tanya Harford told Mambaonline that all community organisations are given a free stall in a pre-defined community village space at Pride, but that additional space had to be paid for.
“Our view is that we as Pride are also a not-for-profit group and that we have to somehow fund Pride – so we ask for a small fee from everybody for this extra space. This is a contribution to the considerable running costs of Pride – fencing, toilets, security, water, electricity and so on,” said Harford.
“We believe that R 5000 is a nominal fee. Our understanding is that OUT is an agency that receives international funding to do this work and it is part of their funders’ score card that they do testing at these community events. We don’t get international funding to run Pride,” she commented.
“This should be a win-win situation,” Harford added, “by OUT paying this contribution we would be able to pay towards our running costs to bring over 15,000 people to the event and OUT would in turn get to fulfil its mandate of testing people.”
Nel responded that “I have nothing against the principle of charging commercial interests money to take part at Pride, but I still don’t see why community organisations are being charged.”
Joburg Pride takes place tomorrow, October 1st at Zoo Lake Sports Club, Parkview, Johannesburg. Gates open from 8am and the parade will start at 11am. For more information, click here.
What do you think? Is Joburg Pride justified in charging organisations such as OUT for space to provide HIV testing in order to cover its costs?
I thought OUT in Pta was bankrupt anyway, wasn’t the some fraud with a donor’s money? So maybe they just couldn’t afford to pay? But I hear that Health4Men (who provide medical services for free at OUT anyway) willd go ahead and do HIV tests at Pride? Can some please say?
WHAT U SAYING???????????????????????
Hang on here a second – what’s going on here? If the organisation OUT was prepared to pay a so-called “exorbitant amount” last year, but not this year, what are they saying? That HIV testing is less important this year than it was last year? Maybe I’m confused or missing the point but this doesn’t make sense. Can someone please explain? ? ? ?
Who ever commented first on this is simply stupid. How could you ask money for HIV testing period. Stupid ASS! > Totally support them and start asking the question? Is the organizers into money making, promoting their own business or supporting the community. Refer to some comments on your last website survey…
I’ve worked on event & project management and have engaged previously with JHB Parks. Of course it isn’t cheap to hold this event. However, there were a number of headline sponsors and hospitality marquees that would have been expecting to pay serious money to access our pink event. There were some 30-odd stalls on a side area (who paid for extras such as chairs, tables, electricity, etc. of whom probably half paid the R400 per 3×3 space. The village area shouldn’t have cost too much to run, albeit the fencing and security must have cost a whack. But is R5000 for additional space (R2500 for 3×3?) just excessively higher that the R400 others were paying? Something doesn’t add up here…
Dear Tanya..
This is what you say Pride is..
Our view is that we as Pride are also a not-for-profit group and that we have to somehow fund Pride so we ask for a small fee from everybody for this extra space. This is a contribution to the considerable running costs of Pride fencing, toilets, security, water, electricity and so on, said Harford.
So if you a section 21 co and for non proffit then WHY…OH WHY
Is there no AGM and on audited Books for Pride and where did the money from last year go to?
Its very simple they taking money and doing what they want and not giving back to the gay community.
pride 2011. Tanya – Indeed hard work etc. and we value this – but pride this year was an enormous disappointment. What loos, little food – concession priced to high, milk coupons, to few barman… it will be remembered as the pride that we spent all day in queues. Please remember that it is significant that we keep the memory of gay community alive and well ? and look out for each other.
Well said.