Funds raised will go to Gift of the Givers' efforts supporting relief efforts following the events in Torngaat.
KwaZulu-Natal music festivals ZA Fest and KAMERS Makers will go ahead as scheduled later this month, after the festivals pledged to make a donation to victims of the tornado that hit Torngaat.
“ZA Fest will donate a portion of ticket sales from our event to relief efforts to help victims of natural disasters,” said ZA Fest co-founder Evan Roberts. Citizen.
Giving back
“The funds will be donated to Gift of the Givers' efforts to support relief efforts following the unexpected damage and destruction that occurred this week in several areas close to the festival site,” he said.
Tornadoes ripped through parts of the state on Monday, with Torngat Island being the hardest hit, killing at least five people.
There was extensive damage to infrastructure, with roofs blown off homes and trees falling onto power lines.
Roberts said people employed by ZA Fest and its service providers were also directly affected by the tornado.
“The losses experienced by our community are truly heartbreaking to us, especially as some of our staff who work for us suffered severe damage to their homes and lost a great deal of personal belongings as a direct result of the tornado,” Roberts said.
He said he is doing all he can to help the community rebuild what they've lost.
“A portion of ticket sales will go towards donating to communities affected by the tornadoes, as well as supporting Wonderbag's disaster relief efforts. Donations can be made through Wonderbag's website.”
This year's ZA Festival was held at Salt Rock
The second ZA Festival will be held at Salt Rock from June 14 to 17. Organisers have assured attendees that the four-day festival will not be cancelled. Tongaat is 12km away from Salt Rock.
“Fortunately the tornado did not affect the venue or festival infrastructure (Manor House in Sheffield). Areas such as Ballito and Sheffield appear to have been hit by severe stormy weather but were not affected as badly as other areas such as Tongaat and Stanger,” he said.
Related article: Heavy rains and tornadoes kill at least five in KwaZulu-Natal
Participant Safety
Roberts said the safety of festival-goers is a top priority for organisers, and ample security measures will be in place to ensure the safety and enjoyment of festival-goers.
“We take great pride in positioning the festival as a family-friendly event that provides local artisans, artists and entertainers with a much-needed platform to showcase their talents and wares to fellow South Africans.”
The festival included Jesse Clegg and America's Got Talent The finalists will be treated to a performance by the Ndlovu Youth Choir on Youth Day.
“The atmosphere with the audience in Ballito was amazing. We felt incredible energy and love from the stage. We have performed all over the world but performing in Ballito was the highlight of 2023 and we can't wait to come back,” Ndlovu Youth Choir Artistic Director Ralf Schmidt said about returning to the ZA Fest stage.
One of the headliners, young Clegg, also spoke of his excitement to be returning to the festival.
“It feels like a homecoming. I've always loved performing here and I'm looking forward to feeling the energy of the audience and performing some new material that reflects where I am as an artist,” he said.
Read now: Watch: Tornado hits Tongaat, KwaZulu-Natal, causing extensive damage
