“We don’t care about changing the world, we just did it to win tickets to the Beyonce concert.”
That was the response from some of the disappointed people who took part in a philanthropic movement in the hope of winning tickets to the “Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100” in Johannesburg, where “Queen Bey” and a glittering array of superstars will perform.
The Global Citizen Festival at the FNB Stadium on Sunday is a predominantly free concert‚ with fans able to earn tickets by raising awareness of poverty through charity work, tweeting about it, signing petitions and other good deeds or “outreach actions”.
The star-studded lineup has had fans losing their minds for months now‚ but the festival’s final ticket draw last week left many disappointed and angry.
A number of those who had spent hours engaging in charitable activities before uploading videos of their good deeds now say they feel cheated and want their data back, especially in light of the fact that some people won multiple tickets.
Others complained that some of the winners were selling their tickets for up to R2,500.
And while some who did not win said they were happy that they had helped others, Twitter user @SbuJay_Ngalo summed up the negative feelings in a vicious tweet.
“It is about winning tickets to see Beyoncé. You advertised it that way in the beginning you s**ts,” he tweeted.
“You think if she was not coming there would be so many fake Global Citizens? WE DON’T CARE ABOUT SAVING THE WORLD.”
He was reacting to the Global Citizen Campaign’s tweet that read: “We wish we could give a ticket to every single Global Citizen – but there wouldn’t be a stadium big enough! Please remember what it’s all about – your actions are helping to end extreme poverty.”
Global Citizen public relations director Andrew Kirk did not respond to questions sent earlier in the day about the negative response.
Some people asked that their data be refunded, saying poverty would never end.
More than 60,000 people from South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho won tickets to the festival, where Beyonce & Jay-Z, Cassper Nyovest, D’banj, Ed Sheeran, Eddie Vedder, Femi Kuti, Pharrell Williams, Chris Martin, Sho Madjozi, Tiwa Savage, Usher, Wizkid and Black Coffee will perform.
The international organisation announced in July that the 2018 festival would be held in South Africa in celebration of Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday celebrations.
Organisers said 30% of the tickets were for sale, with the other 70% given away to those taking part in the charity drive.
The campaign to win tickets opened in August after all the tickets that were on sale had been sold out.
The last draw for winners was held on Monday.
One of the winners, Port Elizabeth resident Reade Foong, 18, said he had initially undertaken the charity work solely to win tickets.
“Initially, I did the actions for the sole reason of winning tickets,” he said.
“But after performing the actions and learning about the work that GC is doing to end poverty by 2030, I knew that I needed to do my part to help.”
Foong was looking forward to seeing Jay-Z perform live.
“I’m a big Jay-Z fan and I’ve always wanted to see him live. Pharrell and Cassper Nyovest are also acts I am keen to see.”
One unlucky person tweeted: “I also didn’t win but I feel blessed to have been a part of something so revolutionary. Let’s keep it up!”
Kirk said the Global Citizen team had received an incredible welcome from South Africans, with more than fivemillion “actions” taken as a result of the campaign.
“Our final earned tickets have now been awarded and we can’t wait to greet those fans and activists,” he said.
He warned that the organisation would not accept tickets that had been sold on.
“We have a zero-tolerance policy for people attempting to sell their earned tickets and where we have identified this practice, we have cancelled the issued tickets and re-entered them into the pool,” Kirk said.
The event will be presented by the Motsepe Foundation. Hosts include Naomi Campbell, Sir Bob Geldof, Gayle King, Bonang Matheba, Tyler Perry and Forest Whitaker.