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Tina Musonza-Arts Reporter

Rowdy bouncers, in most cases not hired and unknown to show promoters, have taken over events, sometimes arriving unannounced to start work and then demanding money from the show organisers, turning violent and disrupting the event if they do not get it.

This came out at a workshop held in Harare yesterday between the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) and event promoters to discuss pressing issues in the sector.

The two parties managed to lay out possible solutions which also focused on the arts sector aspects of cultural, moral and legal manners. 

The promoters said they were now living in fear of those who self-appoint themselves as bouncers and these could easily injure both the promoter and the revellers if they realise no payment is coming their way.

They also spoke against unregistered promoters who were disrupting the industry.

Promoters Association of Zimbabwe member Patson Chimbodza, also known as Chipaz, said something should be done against bouncers and the unregistered promoters.

“There have been a challenge of the unregistered promoters who are hosting shows and we call for NACZ to interrogate them because it is difficult to operate and the issue of bouncers, you never know who they are and who would have hired them,” he said.

“Competition is necessary in business, but why can’t it be done legally? There is chaos and confusion and we cry to the authorities to help us.”

Fiesta and Zim Events promoter Chuckie Ayisha said the bouncers sometimes demanded money at shows and it was uncontrollable to the extent they ended up beating up revellers and official security.

“They storm the events and sometimes demand money, causing chaos and confusion to attendees and even show hosts,” he said. 

“It would be proper to have the police officers if they can create a system for us to deal with such issues.”

Mellisa Nyandoro said bouncers should be shunned.

“First, we should conscientise the revellers, fans who attend these events should do the right thing and buy the tickets from designated points at the venue and shun these bouncers,” she said.

“Secondly, the promoters should avoid hiring unregistered bouncers in the name of friends because this is business as they are the ones killing the business by recycling the tickets. Lastly the authorities put a mechanism at all events to control them.”

NACZ director Nicholas Moyo said there was need to reorganise the arts sector, especially on event management and hosting, so that there was a friendly operating environment that safeguarded the sector.

He said the subject of rowdy bouncers had been brought to his attention and they had been seeking ways to deal with it through engaging the bouncers to hear their side.

“We have taken note of the concern by promoters and we have engaged relative parties, including the police so that there is a proper investigation on the matter,” he said.

“We want to find ways of how best we can deal with the issue, not through one way, but we are finding ways to engage the bouncers.”

Moyo said problem was that the so-called bouncers were a creation of some promoters and now they were difficult to control.

“There has been an influx of new players of promoters over the years who have been registered, but the only change is the narrative of hosting and conducting shows.” 

 “Generally, they used to use the police or relevant authorities, but now there are  bouncers who were created by event hosts to manage their events.

“The bouncers have now grown too big and are difficult to control, but from the root of the cause, it is also on the promoter’s side. The issue of bouncers has come to my attention and some promoters have come begging us to deal with this menace, but the main purpose of this workshop is to hear the grievances, how they occur and how best we can deal with it.”

Moyo said the outcry by promoters was genuine and the NACZ was not going to condone criminal activities which distort the industry and the economy.

“What is taking place is unacceptable,” he said. “We have noticed there are also some people who are hired to man the gates, recycling tickets and selling tickets at low or higher prices. We are also investigating the such cases.”

Moyo said those who engaged in such illegalities should be named and shamed.

“Unfortunately, they are the creation of some of the promoters and we know them, why can’t we identify them then we deal with the problem?” 

Moyo acknowledged the registered promoters who had the desire to regulate the sector. More than 70 arts practitioners, including promoters from Kariba, Bindura, Gweru, Shurugwi, Mutare, Bulawayo and Kadoma, police officers, Zimbabwe Music Rights Association officials, Censorship and Entertainment Control Unit and immigration authorities attended the workshop.