CAPE TOWN'S MINSTREL CELEBRATIONS CANCELLED

The second day of the new year usually brings about a hype of excitement and festivities in the city of Cape Town. That's all thanks to the minstrel troupes who participate in the annual parade on 2 January.

The parade and festivities are known as "Tweede Nuwe Jaar", and attracts tourists as well as big groups of minstrels, often more than 10,000 at a time.

Minstrels dress in colourful attire and play Ghoema music as they dance and sing their way through the streets of Cape Town. The event is not only an institution, but it's also a competition.

The troupes are judged by a panel of independent adjudicators and every group scores in each of the listed categories, reports Wikipedia.

Thanks to COVID-19, the minstrel parade couldn't take place at the beginning of this year. The organisers of the event, along with officials of the Mother City, decided to postpone the event to 16 June.

Due to the third wave hitting the country, the event has had to be cancelled. Daily infection rates are on the increase across the country.

Muneeb Gambeno from the Kaapse Klopse Karnaval Association told News24 that they now have their sights set on 2021.

"We decided not to postpone to September. We are aiming to come back in January 2020."

Image credit: Vernon Chalmers Photography