The Cape Town Carnival, celebrating its 15th anniversary, features colorful floats created through teamwork and hard work, with each float taking about a month to complete, and this year’s parade will include at least 10 floats, including a wave-themed float with a surfer.
Cape Town Carnival is known for its colourful floats that have been mesmerising patrons for the past 14 years, but not many know the many hours and hard work that goes into bringing the event to life.
Now celebrating 15th anniversary, fans can once again look forward to spectacular entertainment as the parade makes its way down the Green Point Fan Walk on Saturday 15 March.
People’s Post spoke to Malvin Gandiwa, construction manager in the steel department at the Cape Town Carnival workshop in Maitland. He shared that it takes about a month to complete a float. “We make the skeleton of the floats to support the structure and to make sure it’s strong. Then it goes to fabrication where they add all the fabric.”
Gandiwa says creating each float from scratch does have its challenges.
“Taking an idea someone has and trying to make it come to life is a bit challenging. We also must ensure that the structure is safe. But we all learn from each other and as a team we all put our minds together. Some things we learn from each other and the rest we learn through experience.”
This year will see at least 10 floats taking to the street.
“Our biggest float this year is the wave, which will have a surfer. There are challenges, but we work through them as a team. The wave float took us about three weeks.”
Gandiwa explains that he has been part of the carnival for 12 years.
“When I started here I was a cleaner. I love being here. I have been working here for 12 years now. I got motivated by other people and I started learning how to do welding. I worked my way up and now I am the manager. I never went for any formal training. I just learned on the job.”
Brad Baard, Cape Town Carnival Creative Director, says the workshop space is about an idea.
“The creative ideas that are given form in this space begin completely intangibly. Through the various departments in the workshop, the invisible gets drawn out of the magical fog of possibilities. What you see here is not just one idea, but the accumulation of hundreds of ideas honed by various experts.”
Entry to the event is free but tickets will also be available for seats in strategically placed stands along the parade route. Tickets for are on sale on Quicket.
