By: Aneeqa du Plessis
With the festive season fast approaching, The City of Cape Town alongside the Minstrel and Malay Choir organizations announced that the annual Minstrel competitions, Malay choir road marches and the iconic Tweede Nuwe Jaar Minstrel Parade will return this summer after a two-year suspension due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking to VOC News on Wednesday morning, President of The Kaapse Klopse Karnival Association (KKKA), Muneeb Gambeno expressed his jubilation at the announcement.
“We are so excited to be back! This karnival is part of the fibre of the Capetonian people and during the pandemic it is one of the few things that people on the Cape Flats looked forward to and I can assure you we are ramping up efforts to deliver a phenomenal spectacle this year,” beamed Gambeno.
The City of Cape Town’s mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith described the safety measures put in place to ensure the protection of the public.
“We have put a lot of emphasis on safety because we know back in the day the klopse event did not have the best track record for safety, but this is something the current organizers have taken very seriously. Thus, we do have a very extensive operational plan that includes several security forces,” said Smith.
President of the Cape Malay Choir Board, Ismail Ely described the atmosphere around the return.
“It has been difficult to keep the gees [sic.] alive during the pandemic but the executive members did all they could to ensure members were kept abreast with any breakthroughs and now we are ever ready to show up and show out!,” smiled Ely.
President of the Keep The Dream Choir Board, Mogamat Salih Davids mentioned the importance of the competition in terms of youth development and the heritage it symbolizes.
“We want to take this cultural expression to the rural areas too. We want to involve more youth. We want to give them an identity they can be proud of. We want to teach them lifelong lessons that they can steer their lives with. It is so much more than entertainment,” added Davids.
VOC
WhatsApp us 
