28 Aug 2018

The annual Mmakgodumo Cultural Festival is scheduled to take place in October in Kanye.

The festival, which started in 2013, returns after missing in action last year due to misunderstandings between the Bathoen II Trust board members and the organising committee.

However, the trust secretary Malebogo Modise said they managed to resolve everything and was optimistic that this’s year’s event would be bigger and better.

“The festival could not take place last year because the organising committee that was appointed by the outgoing board could not account for a lot of things.

However, after consultation with members of the public and other stakeholders, the board reversed the decision to engage a committee to run the festival,” she said in an interview.

Modise said this year the festival would be a cultural exchange and that they would bring people from other cultures to share with Bangwaketse and other patrons different aspects of their culture.

She also said they intended to cater for all age groups hence there would be a music festival in the evening.

She said the festival was also intended to enhance the tourism sector by showcasing Bangwaketse culture as well as local empowerment through the sale of stalls.  

She said the proceeds would go into the trust coffers and that they already had a few projects lined up.

“We have plans to renovate the trust buildings in the village as well as build a boundary wall around our dam, but these are just suggestions and the public is welcome for further discussions and suggestions because this is a community project,” she said.

She said they had already secured a few sponsors for the event and still in consultations with others, and was optimistic that they would host a successful festival. ENDS