I Am Tshwane Jacaranda Festival blooms
There was fun on Saturday at the Union Buildings triangle, where the City of Tshwane hosted its inaugural I Am Tshwane Jacaranda Festival to promote the capital as a tourist destination.
The event was planned to be hosted on the same day as the Diplomatic Fun Fair organised by the Department of International Relations and Co-operation.
However, the department cancelled its function at the 11th hour.
The Diplomatic Fun Fair has been hosted annually since 2006 to give South Africans an opportunity to learn about other countries’ cultures and cement political and economic ties.
Saturday’s event in the capital was also used to give opportunities to local businesspeople, who exhibited their goods and services.
Products on display were arts and crafts, food, beverages and fashion clothing.
Acting mayor Abel Tau said there were 64 stalls set up by entrepreneurs, informed by the City’s strategic objective of facilitating local economic development and job creation.
Revellers were entertained by musicians such as DJs Malwela, Tsitso, Lady Zee, Trendy L, Black Motion, Zamo, Encore and Willem Botha.
Organiser Sphiwe Shabangu said the event was aimed at promoting the City as the “Jacaranda City”.
Exhibitors Fizile Magobelela and Winnie Maluleka displayed their fashion clothing under the label Voila Feel Beautiful.
The couple’s brand was started five years ago by chance when Maluleka, an accountant, wanted “to find something that validates her as a person”.
One day they took their old T-shirts, cut them up and made trendy outfits out of them. “We wore them to a friend’s dinner and they bought them from us. We went back home and they said they were willing to pay so then we created a whole range of them,” Magobelela said.
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