Jazz festival has fans on their feet

“IT does not require the understanding of a language to dance to the tune of music in a foreign language. If the beats supply the energy, the dancing will be fun and effortless,” said Abdul Azad, one of the people who attended the Marula Jazz Festival at the Impala Palace Stadium in Phalaborwa over the weekend.

The festival formed part of the Marula Festival, which ended on Saturday.

The festival aimed to promote economic development in the Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality, and each year, thousands of people around the country flock to the festival to enjoy a sip of home brewed marula beer, which was availabel for free at the stadium.

The money generated by the festival would be ploughed back into the community by means of infrastructural development and the establishment of marula processing projects, which would help to create jobs for the local community.

This year’s attendance had increased compared to previous years, of which, the MEC for economic development and tourism, Seaparo Sekoati attributed to the decrease of the entrance fee, which was cut by 50% from R200 in the previous year to R100 this year.

“We listened to the concerns raised by the local people regarding the price,” explained the MEC. “Besides, we also wanted to make it affordable for the locals so that they too could come and enjoy themselves at the stadium like everybody else,” he said.

Asked what people could expect at the Marula Festival next year, Sekoati said they were looking at growing the festival into a regional event.

“We want a platform where we would not only be showcasing the talent that we have in South Africa, but also talent from countries in the Sadec region,” he said.

The festival is also kiddie-friendly. It is equipped with children’s games, swings and many other playing equipment that the little ones can enjoy.