Cultural Erasure? Cape Town Minstrels Raise Concerns Over Tweede Nuwe Jaar Changes
- The Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMA) protested on Saturday, 3 January 2026
- The CTMA submitted a three-page memorandum to Ricardo Mackenzie, the MEC for Cultural Affairs and Sport
- The memorandum described the submission as a formal protest and an urgent call to action
Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.
Source: Getty Images
CAPE TOWN, WESTERN CAPE - The Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMA) staged a march to the Western Cape legislature on Saturday, 3 January 2025, voicing concerns over several issues, including what it described as the “cultural erasure” of Tweede Nuwe Jaar.
Three-page memorandum
According to TimesLive, police and city officials reported that multiple troupes from across Cape Town were transported by bus for the event. Bands played loudly as groups in colourful costumes danced through the central business district, despite strong winds.
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The CTMA submitted a three-page memorandum to Ricardo Mackenzie, the MEC for Cultural Affairs and Sport. According to the memorandum, the association opposed the commercialisation of, and its exclusion from, the Kaapse Klopse Festival. It also highlighted the historical importance of Tweede Nuwe Jaar and outlined key areas of protest. The memorandum raised concerns about the venue dispute that had previously led to legal action between the CTMA and the City of Cape Town.
The memorandum described the submission as a formal protest and an urgent call to action against what the CTMA said were fundamental changes to the Tweede Nuwe Jaar festival. It warned that these changes threatened its survival as a living, community-owned cultural practice.
Imposition of stadium admission fees
It reportedly objected to the imposition of stadium admission fees, the rerouting of the historic Road March away from community areas, and the involvement of gambling interests. According to the CTMA, these changes disconnected the festival from the communities that created it, prioritising profit and tourism over heritage and social justice. The association demanded the restoration of a free, accessible, and community-rooted celebration.
The CTMA stressed that the Kaapse Klopse was not simply a parade but a foundational act of cultural resistance and resilience. The memorandum noted that the festival originated during the era of slavery at the Cape, when enslaved people from Africa, Indonesia, India, and the Middle East were granted a single day of respite on 2 January.
The association also criticised the body organising the Tweede Nuwe Jaar event scheduled for Monday, 5 January 2026. It accuses it of collaborating with the city and betraying the festival’s historical legacy. The memorandum called on the office of the premier to intervene immediately to prevent permanent damage to this cultural tradition.
Source: Getty Images
Festival represented living resistance
For the 2026 festival, the CTMA requested that the premier’s office support and allow a free, street-based parade along the historic route. In the long term, the association urged the creation of an independent commission to develop a sustainable and ethical governance model for the festival and to audit public funding provided to minstrel associations.
The memorandum further stated that the festival represented living resistance, and the imposed changes dealt a “multiple blow,” including financial exclusion, displacement from historical areas, economic harm to street vendors, and unethical partnerships with predatory capitalism.
Mackenzie accepted and signed the memorandum amid applause and ululations from the crowd. He indicated that he had been in discussions with the city regarding the matter and acknowledged that the association was still waiting for clarity on venue arrangements. Mackenzie reportedly emphasised the need for collaboration to protect the culture, drawing on his experience in the taxi industry to stress that planning and cooperation were essential. He added that leadership had been lacking over the past century and that all parties bore responsibility for the unresolved issues.
City of Cape Town addresses concerns over Tweede Nuwe Jaar parade
In a related article, Briefly News reported that the City of Cape Town has clarified its non-involvement in the 2026 Tweede Nuwe Jaar parade organisation.
The proposed route changes and entry fees sparked criticism over commercialising cultural traditions.
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Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
