Celebrating Tweede Nuwe Jaar: Cape Town Minstrels march amid legal dispute
Amidst ongoing legal challenges, the community has come together to celebrate its cultural heritage.
Image: Ian Landsberg
The Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association’s Protest March is currently underway along the historic route from District 6.
Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association recently won a court battle against the City of Cape Town over venue permits for their Tweede Nuwe Jaar celebrations. The City is appealing a judge's order, which delayed relief and impacted the protest
Yagya Canfield, manager of Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association, speaking to the Independent Media team, explained that the protest is taking place on January 3, because of the religious date of Friday, which would have meant proceeding started after 2:00 PM, so it was shifted.
The plan was contingent on getting a street parade, which was declined when applied for. However, permission was obtained for this protest march.
A significant challenge has been the uncertainty faced by teams regarding whether they would be able to play. This difficulty has led to the loss of many affiliated teams that could not keep up with their expenses.
“They couldn't keep up with the expenses that they've already incurred to and that is where we are at the moment. The fact is that we are today, we are celebrating the Tweede Nuwe Jaar,” said Canfield.