Makhelwane Festival — themed Soweto Through the Eyes of the Locals — is back for the ninth time. Photo: Supplied
Just because December is over doesn’t mean the fun has to stop. The annual Makhelwane Festival — themed Soweto Through the Eyes of the Locals — is back for the ninth time.
Taking place in Orlando West, the event celebrates local food, music and arts while providing small to medium businesses an opportunity to market themselves and make money.
The name “Makhelwane” means “neighbour”, suggesting a sense of community. And part of that is encouraging entrepreneurship among young black creatives in an environment designed to advance sustainable business trade.
The festival was established in 2014 under the LoCrate Market brand, a food, arts and craft platform that aims to connect people, create unique experiences and bring new business opportunities that aid the overall growth of Soweto. In an interview with South Africa Good News in 2014, Bojan Ivonic, the co-founder of LoCrate, said the idea behind the event was to “drive entrepreneurs of Soweto to reach their next level of business”.
“The Locrate Market was created because a need existed within Soweto to create a platform where entrepreneurs could exhibit their works in a nicely-controlled environment that is accessible not only to the community within which they operate, but also within a larger context of the city. People can come from all over the city to see products they would not necessarily have been able to find in the past,” he said.
Chef Mogau Seshoene, known by her brand name The Lazy Makoti, participated in the second festival in 2015 offering cooking tips and selling merchandise.
In a previous interview with the Mail & Guardian, Seshoene spoke about how her philosophy on food is centred on appreciating the diversity in local cuisines, cultures and traditions.
“So much love and warmth is shared through food. At the heart of everything I do is a love for our people, stories, unique food, our heritage, our ingredients and how we put together even what may be borrowed from other cultures,” she says.
Last year the festival was held in January at Soweto Backpackers in Orland West to commemorate its founder, Lebo Malepa, who died on Christmas Day in 2021. The establishment is known for providing guests with cycling, tuk-tuks and guided tours of one of the biggest townships in South Africa.
Bob Nameng, the founder of Soweto Kliptown Youth, described him as a trailblazer because of the work he did in uplifting the township and its people through his business.
“When I was at the backpackers and looking at what he had done. I realised that Lebo was a prophet. He was an angel. He has only done good things. For me, he was perfect. He served his purpose,” said Nameng.
This year’s festival will take place on 28 and 29 January at Poka Street in Orlando West. There will be stalls for food, drinks, clothing and locally manufactured products, plus music throughout both days.
As a part of the event a business talk by The Wing Republic founder Tlhompho Mokoena will take place on Friday 27 January at Thesis Lifestyle in Mofolo Village.
Ticket prices range from R150 to R250; to purchase click here. For more information visit http://www.makhelwanefest.co.za/.