Essential road closures for Tweede Nuwe Jaar parade
Crowds are expected to gather along the parade route as Cape Town prepares for the official Tweede Nuwe Jaar celebrations, with extensive road closures and traffic restrictions in place across Green Point on Monday.
Image: Ian Landsberg/ Independent Media
Minstrel troupes are ready to shake, rattle, and roll when they take over Cape Town for the annual Tweede Nuwe Jaar parade on Monday.
The annual event, organised by the Kaapse Klopse Karnival Association (KKKA), is expected to draw tens of thousands of spectators.
Kaapse Klopse is a traditional Cape Town minstrel festival where groups of performers, called troupes, march, dance, and play music through the streets.
It takes place every year around Tweede Nuwe Jaar, or “Second New Year”, on January 2. This year's, it takes place on January 5.
The event, which is famous for its colourful costumes, top hats, painted faces, and lively music, including drums, trumpets, and trombones, has a long history.
According to KKKA director Muneeb Gambeno it started during the colonial era when slaves were allowed one day a year to celebrate the New Year.
They used that day to sing, dance, and perform, creating a tradition that has been passed down through generations.
After the parade, the different troupes perform at the stadium where judges score them on marching, dancing, singing, musical skill, and overall presentation.
The season continues on January 10, 24, and 31, with January 17 skipped for an important Islamic observance.
On January 31, section one finals will be held to crown a winner, and the season concludes with section two finals on February 7.
Other organisations, such as the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association and the Cape District Minstrel Board, also hold separate competitions.
Gambeno said that under the KKKA banner, 16 troupes take part in the competitions.
The 16 troupes are:
- Original D6 Hanover Minstrels;
- Mitchells Plain Young Tycoons;
- Phantoms Community Development;
- Ashwin Willemse Orient Community Development;
- Young Wild Comanches;
- Manenberg Superstars;
- Carnival Boys Youth Development (also known as Crystal Palace);
- Wild Apache;
- Playaz Inc;
- Baruch Entertainers;
- CPT Hawkers;
- Juvie Boy Entertainers;
- West London All Stars;
- TV Stars;
- Last Tomahawks; and
- Fabulous Seawind Entertainers.
Roads affected include Somerset Road, Green Point Main Road, Prestwich Street, Chiappini Street, Ebenezer Road and Waterkant Street.
The street parade is scheduled to start at 11am, with troupes marching from Chiappini Street along the 1.2km Somerset Road route before proceeding into the DHL Stadium. The final troupe is expected to reach the parade corridor at around 5pm, after which festivities will continue inside the stadium until approximately 10pm.
To assist spectators, free public parking will be available at P9 and P10 on Bill Peters Drive in Green Point. Additional paid parking options will be available at the V&A Waterfront.
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Cape Argus