Organisers of Hey Neighbour festival under fire: refund promises fall flat for fans

In 2023, Hey Neighbour burst on to the South African festival scene, captivating music lovers with world-class performances, interactive installations and an electrifying atmosphere.

Its inaugural edition set a high bar, featuring major headliners like Kendrick Lamar and Swedish House Mafia, alongside a diverse lineup including Rema, H.E.R., The Chainsmokers, and standout South African acts such as Black Coffee, Zakes Bantwini and Sho Madjozi.

Building on that success, excitement soared for 2025 when Hey Neighbour announced Doja Cat as the main headliner. Known for her genre-defying sound and chart-topping hits like Say So, Kiss Me More, and Paint the Town Red, Doja Cat has quickly become one of the most influential artists of her generation.

The lineup soon expanded to include other stars such as Central Cee and Leon Thomas, prompting a buying frenzy fuelled by faith in Glen21 Entertainment, the experienced event management agency behind the festival.

When the music stopped

All seemed to be thriving in the neighbourhood. However, in early July, the organisers made a strategic decision to reschedule the festival and streamline it from three days to two. Then, in September, the festival was officially cancelled, with ticketholders informed that all refunds would be processed and paid by 10 October 2025.

Since then, all has not been well in the neighbourhood.

Ticketholder for the cancelled festival Asive Mabula shared her frustrations about the delayed refunds. Mabula received an order cancellation email on 30 September, which assured ticketholders that refunds would be completed by October 2025.

“It’s really disappointing to see a festival that had a great debut, which I won free tickets to, scam people like this. I only got a one-day pass, which was R1,600. It may seem little compared to the thousands others have spent, but it’s people’s hard-earned money,” she said. Mabula found it especially upsetting that organisers went on radio interviews, only to say there was no money available to refund ticketholders.

Despite regularly tagging festival organisers on social media to vent her frustrations, Mabula stated that pursuing legal action “doesn’t seem worth it at this point”.

Her verdict on the organisers: “I’d like them to never organise another festival ever again. That’s how they can restore my trust.”

Buyile Khoza, another ticketholder, said she purchased her ticket back in December 2024 and requested a refund about a month ago.

“When I submitted my refund request, I immediately received an email from the organisers confirming that an amount of R4,299.00 had been ‘refunded’ to my bank account, but to date, nothing has actually reflected,” she said.

Khoza is disappointed about the communication, or lack thereof.

“R4,300 is a significant amount of money, and waiting this long after being told it was already refunded has been frustrating. Financially, it’s money I could’ve used for other commitments, and personally, it’s made me lose confidence in how the organisers are handling things. It’s not just about the money any more – it’s about trust and accountability.”

She said that she had been monitoring social media, where many others were still waiting, despite similar refund confirmations.

“They need to communicate clearly and honestly with their ticketholders. Sending an automated email saying a refund has been processed when it hasn’t actually been reflected is misleading. If there are delays, they should be transparent about what’s causing them and give a realistic timeline,” she said.

What does Hey Neighbour say?

In a recent conversation with 947’s Anele and The Club, Glen Netshipise, owner of Glen 21 Entertainment and CEO of Hey Neighbour Festival, addressed the many questions and concerns over the cancellation of the festival. Netshipise began by acknowledging the myriad challenges that had surrounded the festival’s planning and communication efforts.

He gave an insight into the financial and logistical difficulties behind the scenes, explaining that funding a festival of the magnitude of Hey Neighbour was a tough task in South Africa. The intention for 2025 was to exceed the expectations set in their debut year, but sales were not meeting targets, making long-term sustainability difficult.

“It cost us quite a lot of money to do it in the first year… We could see where it was going and was not going to be sustainable in the long term,” Netshipise said. He described how these difficulties complicated efforts to raise capital since potential investors and brands needed confidence in ticket sales and event viability.

He outlined the complex negotiations and commitments made with brands and funders, some of which could not be fully honoured. “Because we are the responsible party, we have to deal with the consequences… We are not unique in facing challenges in life, and sometimes it’s good to just communicate that we are facing a challenge,” he said.

On the most frequently asked question about refunds, Netshipise said that refunds were being issued as capacity allowed, and that the organisation was doing everything possible to process each request swiftly.

Legal lowdown

Rosalind Lake, director at Norton Rose Fulbright, specialising in data privacy, cyber, competition and consumer law, told Daily Maverick that South African consumers had extensive rights under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), which protected them from unfair business practices.

However, Lake acknowledged the practical challenges in enforcing those rights, especially relating to refunds.

She told Daily Maverick, “Particularly when it comes to refunds, if the service provider has not complied with the requirements of the CPA to keep advance payments by consumers separate from their own money, so that it is available to refund, the supplier can have cash flow challenges which result in delays [in] refunding consumers”.

Lake emphasised the importance of consumers carefully checking the terms and conditions before purchasing tickets, as some suppliers may state that no refunds will be given even if event dates change. Consumers affected by such practices are encouraged to report to the National Consumer Commission or the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud, which can intervene to protect consumer rights.

“The more consumers exercise their rights, the more readily service providers will be compliant.”

On legal obligations related to refunds, Lake explained that South African law does not specify an exact timeframe within which refunds must be issued. However, she stressed that suppliers were expected to act fairly and process refunds within a reasonable period. Delays may happen due to cash flow problems or large volumes of refund requests, but Lake was clear that “these are not valid legal excuses”.

Lake said that ticketing platforms shared a significant responsibility in enforcing refund policies. These platforms, which often directly handle consumer payments, must ensure that refund procedures are clearly established and properly implemented. Lake noted that both event organisers and ticketing platforms should take proactive measures by securing insurance policies that protected consumer rights in the event of cancellations.

She highlighted the harsh consequences for organisers who failed to meet their legal obligations. Penalties imposed by the Consumer Commission can range from R100,000 to R1-million, or even up to 10% of the offender’s annual turnover, depending on the severity of the breach.

Relief options

Daily Maverick sought clarity from the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud on festival organisers’ legal obligations on refunds when events were cancelled or postponed.

The ombud said that both the CPA and Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (Ecta) provided consumer protections, but the specific relief depended on factors such as the reason for cancellation, timing of notice and steps taken by organisers.

Under the CPA, the consumer can either accept new dates or cancel without penalty if a supplier changes event details. Furthermore, if organisers fail to provide the event due to insufficient capacity, they must refund payments with prescribed interest and compensate consumers for related costs. The Ecta requires immediate notification to consumers if a supplier cannot perform, along with a refund within 30 days of the notification.

Regarding enforcement, the ombud clarified: “We do not possess enforcement powers but provide a method of alternative dispute resolution. Should a supplier refuse to comply with our non-binding recommendations, the matter may be escalated to the National Consumer Commission, which holds regulatory authority.”

Delays in refunds remain the most common complaint in festival cancellations. The ombud reported receiving 51 complaints related to such issues in 2024, with more than half resolved in favour of consumers.

Courts, class actions & continuing to make noise — your refund backup plan

Beyond penalties, consumers also have the right to seek damages through the courts. Lake noted that class actions, where one claimant represents a group, are available, but can be slow and complex, potentially delaying compensation.

Consumers can turn to small claims courts for disputes involving less than R20,000, which Lake said offers a simpler and more affordable resolution process.

“However, getting refunds from service providers can still be challenging if the provider lacks enough funds, even with a court order in place,” she said.

Lake also highlighted systemic issues affecting consumer rights enforcement in the entertainment sector. She pointed out a widespread lack of awareness among both consumers and suppliers about existing protections and obligations, which undermines trust and compliance across the industry. To address these challenges, Lake advised consumers to educate themselves about their rights and to be persistent in following up on refund requests and complaints.

“In my experience, raising concerns through the media or social platforms often results in a more favourable outcome, as service providers are more likely to respond to reputational pressure. Nevertheless, consumers should be encouraged to file complaints with the Consumer Commission or relevant ombudsmen, who are equipped to address and potentially resolve these matters on their behalf,” she said.

The Consumer Goods and Services Ombud advises consumers to take several important precautions to protect themselves when purchasing tickets for live events. These include:

• Thoroughly read and understand the terms and conditions before making a purchase.
• Always keep proof of payment and confirmation of booking or reservation details safe and accessible.
• Contact the event organiser promptly to clarify refund procedures, including expected turnaround times for refunds in the event of cancellations or postponements.
• Verify whether the event organiser is registered with the ombud, since registration indicates compliance with the Consumer Protection Act and the Consumer Goods and Services Industry Code (CGSI Code).
• Consumers can reasonably expect refunds within 30 days after official notification of cancellation. If deadlines are missed, the ombud recommends lodging a complaint for mediation, with further escalation possible DM