Excitement ahead of Mahika Mahikeng Festival

The province’s former Tourism MEC, Debso Mohono, was part of a panel that briefed media on Friday, saying that there is no more accommodation in town. 

“If you go around Mafikeng, all our establishments are fully booked. People now have to go to Lichtenburg, people have to go to Zeerust,” said Mohono.

Mohono is no longer an MEC of Tourism after being replaced by former Finance MEC Wendy Nelson following a cabinet reshuffle by Premier Job Makgoro on Thursday.

The festival, which was first conceptualized in 2015, aims to attract at least 18 000 people to the province.

“When we started in 2015, it was hosted in this very town in Mahikeng. With the participation of 6000 people, you won’t believe me and this year is we are targeting 18 000 and this is just the 4^th year,” says MEC for Culture and Traditional Affairs Ontlametse Mochware.

Festival goers are in for a treat this weekend, as local and international artists are expected to grace the line-up.

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According to Mochware, the number of performing artists has steadily increased over the past few years.

“We started by having 40 artists in 2015, now this year we are having 90 artists. That is the growth that is year. What is exciting is that it is owned by the people of Bokone Bophirima."

Local hip0hop artists will also host a tribute to late Jabulani “Jabba” Nstambo on Friday evening.

Kuli Chana, Morafe Kwesta, Emtee, Sjava and OK Malumakoolkat are some of the artists expected to headline the tribute.

When the festival first began, it injected R11 million into the local economy.

That number increased to R38 million in the past financial year.