Some of the major cities in South Africa are planning huge parties to welcome in the New Year on Saturday night.
In Cape Town, several roads will be closed in the CBD on Saturday night when the traditional New Year’s Eve Cape Malay Choir Parade returns after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19. It precedes the Parade of Ministrels Tweede Nuwe Jaar on 2 January.
Malay choirs will gather at the parade starting at 9 pm and proceed to various areas in Bo-Kaap. New Years celebrations are also planned for the V and A Waterfront, where revelers have already begun to gather.
Meanwhile, the city of Cape Town has urged beachgoers to exercise caution after revealing that five people have drowned along the coast since early December.
Patricia Van der Ross, a member of the Mayor’s Committee on Community Services and Health, says a contributing factor is strong rip currents outside of designated swimming areas.
“It bears repeating that our visitors should only swim where there are lifeguards on duty and between the flags set up on the beach. Leave alcohol at home, as this impairs your judgment and could have dire consequences. It also spoils the experience of those around you, particularly when the drinking is accompanied by anti-social behaviour.”
Beachgoers urged to exercise caution after 10-year-old boy drowned at Wilderness Beach:
In KwaZulu-Natal, Durban Tourism says thousands of revelers will attend music concerts to ring in the new year, but there are also some major sporting events.
Tourism authorities say they expect more than a quarter of R1 million to be pumped into Durban’s economy.
Durban Director of Tourism, Winile Mntungwa, “We have Fact Durban Rocks, which is the big event in Durban at People’s Park and it’s an all night event. We also have the rugby match which takes place at the Hollywood Bets Kings Park stadium where Cell C Sharks are playing Vodacom Bulls. So it’s a great game.”
Durban prepares to usher in 2023:
In Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, tourists have made the most of the sunny weather on offer for the last day of 2022 before the new year festivities.
“My family and I have come to PE to enjoy the sun and the sea. Coming from Johannesburg it has only been rain, pessimism. But ha, the sun now has definitely done us good.”
“It’s rainy in Joburg and nice and hot here in PE. So we made the most of it. It’s a nice place, safe and not as crowded as JHB.”
Perfect beach weather is on the cards in Gqeberha:
However, there will be no official countdown parties in Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Bay in the Eastern Cape, but revelers are gearing up to ring in the new year. For many people it’s just about celebrating humanity and family.
“I want to be happy when 2023 is on the way. I want to say Hooray 2023… I want to be happy, very happy”.
“After everything we went through, we needed this, we need more of this. Family friends neighbors, when we are here, we are one.
New Year’s Eve celebrations in East London:
In the Free State, Mangaung Metro says it has increased security measures at all its parks and recreational facilities around Bloemfontein, where people are expected to celebrate the new year. Mangaung Metro spokesperson Qondile Khedama explains:
“We are saying to our people please work with law enforcement so everyone can enjoy themselves. Alcohol consumption emerged as one of the problems of these times. So we tell people if you drink, drink responsibly, let someone else drive for you to minimize the scourge of accidents on our roads.”
