The City of Joburg and the South African Police Services (SAPS) have been hosting the New Year's Eve carnival for the past three years, with great success. Other partners include: Joburg Water, Joburg City Parks, Pikitup, EMS Fire Safety, the directorates within the Community Department: Sports and Recreation and Human Development, Joburg Metropolitan Police Department, JRA, Newtown Improvement District and Metrobus.
As Steven Sack, Joburg's director of arts, culture and heritage services, explains, “The main aim of the carnival is to provide inner-city residents with a safe and enjoyable activity to engage in on New Year's Eve. All residents of the inner city should come out with family and friends, line the streets, put on a funny hat, put make up on their faces and join the carnival”.
The carnival enables socially and culturally diverse communities drawn from the city's seven regions to interact on a creative level while taking part in a range of events encompassing most art forms.
During carnival camps in the run-up to the carnival, artists will be trained in the carnival arts such as dance, costume design, sewing, singing, the making of music instruments and the construction of floats, as well as welding and carpentry, leaving a legacy of skills among participants.
This project is targeted mainly at the youth, to keep them off the streets and engaged in constructive activities over the festive season. They will also benefit from life skills workshops.
On carnival day on 31 December 2007, the various troupes will assemble at the starting point in Kotze Street, Hillbrow, accompanied by various choirs and bands, gaily bedecked trucks housing sound systems, street performers, and musicians and DJs.
After the grand opening of the carnival, the stage will be set for a parade pulsing with vitality and colour. The Johannesburg Metro Police Department and the SAPS, as well as other utilities, will ensure that the event runs smoothly and safely.
It will kick off at 2pm in Kotze Street and proceed along the Nelson Mandela Bridge into Newtown, culminating in performances by the various troupes at Newtown Park from 4pm onwards.
Members of the public are invited to come and watch – or even join in – the carnival procession at any point along the route, and experience Joburg in all its vibey, multicultural glory this New Year's Eve. It's a free fix of festive cheer!
