Jozi Kota Festival took place at the Station in Newtown Johannesburg this Saturday (5th April 2025), where several exhibitors showed up despite the rainy weather to display and sell their different Kota Offerings.
In our tribute” Kota to the world, the festival is scheduled to take place in different venues and regions within South Africa and Lesotho and Swaziland as those outside the Country. The intention is to take the proudly South Africa Cuisine to the world and to present it as a cuisine that originated from South Africa.
Thousands flocked to the station despite the wet conditions to not just enjoy the music, but to also get access to different vendors and experience different types of Kota by different vendors especially those who want to explore those outside their residential area.
As we are passionate with empowering SMMe’s we are also proud that corporate Companies such as Albany, Clover and All Gold amongst others took us under their wing and assisted the SMMe’s with their products offerings and empowerment programs.
The CEO of The Kota Festival Xolani Machele says that he is humbled by the support that the sponsors have given as none of this would have worked without their support. The festival since its inception has created over 5 0000 Jobs and empowered about 1 500 Kota Vendors in and around the country excluding service providers. “We are not just in business of entertainment, but we are also trying to curb the ever-raising amount of unemployment by teaching vendors different aspects of business including creating platform for them to access their clients and to teach them about financial wellness, so they run their business-like proper businesses,” says Machele.
The festival is the centre of family fun, food and entertainment with Festival surprising the guests with artists who performed on the day. “We do not reveal the names of performers as we want to make the festival to be just about Kota and make the entertainment aspect of it a surprise of the day,” Machele added.
“Albany is a big brand, and bread is the main ingredient of making a Kota and who better to sponsor us with fresh bread for our vendors than them “say Buyisile Nkosi (Head of Operations), Clover had since ventured into a thicker slice of cheese, and it goes perfect with Kota as it does not melt and vanish between other ingredients. All gold kept all Kotas juicy and tasty with their sauces.
eMTee, Sipho Hotsticks Mabuse, Naledi Aphiwe, Oscar Mbo, Daliwonga and other performers including DJ K Zaka, and our resident DJ’s Kept the crowds dancing away the wet soil and grass and rain chills while enjoying their favourite beats and singing along. The show was driven by Napo Modise and Somizi Mhlongo.
The next event is happening at the Botenical Gardens in Nelspruit Mpumalanga on the 3rd of May 2025. Please check our pages on www.kotafestival.com for the Kota Festivals near you.
