The streets of Cape Town will be buzzing once again as the minstrel competitions, the Malay choir road marches, and the historic Tweede Nuwe Jaar Minstrel Parade return in living colour this summer after being absent for more than two years.
The announcement was made by Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis during a media briefing held at the City Hall this morning (Wednesday 21 September).
Hill-Lewis says the city has committed to a three-year agreement in which it will provide financial support, and event services and waive the use of city facilities for the events.
“The Ghoema is going to be heard again in the streets of Cape Town. The choir will be heard again and the minstrels will be seen again on tweede nuwe jaar. The break has done a lot of harm to the communities that love this tradition. It is great to have it back and we look forward to this summer,” says Hill-Lewis.
The Kaapse Klopse Karnival Association (KKKA) Minstrel competitions will take place throughout January while the ‘Tweede Nuwe Jaar’ Minstrel Parade (Cape Town Street Parade) will return to its traditional date of 2 January.
Keep The Dream Choral competition will also be taking place in January and February next year.
Adnaan Morris, Manager of the Cape Malay Choir Board, says they are elated that things will return to normal.
“Today is a big day for us. This announcement enables us to host our competitions. This is the core business of the Cape Malay Choir; to host competitions. The choirs are excited.”
He explains that the first choral sectional competition will kick off at the Good Hope Christian Centre in Ottery on Saturday 24 September.
Muneeb Gambino, KKKA Chair, says: “Organising and hosting this event is complex and costly and the two-year standstill due to the Covid pandemic introduced further complexities such as funding challenges and supply chain issues – many businesses in the events industry have either closed or scaled down their operations. The intention by the City of Cape Town to commit to a new three-year financial support system illustrates their commitment to our culture.”
Mogamat Davids, Keep the Dream Choir Board Chair, says: “The board salutes the resumption of the festive season programme. We acknowledge that the pandemic has affected all of us, however together we will revive and reach for excellence in practising our age-old traditions and culture.”
