WeeklySA_AdminSLACK: Kota Festival Tour sets the bar high by appointing Somizi Mhlongo as the brand ambassador…
By Priscilla Malinga
The Jozi Kota Festival team has undergone change in shape and size, spreading its wings to other places.
No longer called Jozi Kota, the city where it began its humble beginnings, it has now taken on a national face to become Kota Festival. The strategy to bring an iconic brand has been welcomed by its main sponsor, Albany Bread, which intends to invest approximately R13million into the annual event to make it a success.
As part of its growth strategy, TV personality Somizi Mhlongo has joined the festival as the brand ambassador.
“It was very easy for me to agree to be a part of this amazing event,” says Mhlongo. Kota has been a centre of icon’s upbringing in Soweto. “This initiative is not just about eating Kota, but supporting a proudly South African product that took most of us at school, as it was a business that was started by the locals who have been able to sustain it until this far”.
This is the first time a sponsorship of this magnitude has been secured in the Kota festival space, marking a historic milestone for the event and its partners. As the official title sponsor, Albany will be supporting 24 events across South Africa over the next three years, bringing together a dynamic mix of food lovers, cultural enthusiasts, and local businesses.
The sponsorship also reflects commitment by Albany and Tiger Brands to empowering the informal market, with the specific focus on creating over 2 000 job opportunities throughout the course of the events and value chain.
The Kota Festival Tour made its debut in Gauteng in 2023 as the first-ever event of its kind, and its nationwide expansion in 2025 promises even greater excitement. The tour will bring together a vibrant celebration of South African food, music, art, and culture, with a spotlight on the iconic kota, a delicious local street food that has become a cultural staple.
From Cape Town to Durban, Pretoria to Bloemfontein, the festival will tour other towns, creating unforgettable experiences for festival goers of all ages. Two other countries outside South Africa have been added, Lesotho and eSwatini.
Mhlongo will be a part of the festival for the three-year duration of the sponsorship agreement between The Kota Festival organisers and Albany.
As part of its ongoing commitment to empowering the informal market, Albany, in partnership with the Entrepreneurship and Skills Development (ESD) Program, will focus on skills development and training for individuals within the Kota market. This initiative aims to provide valuable tools and resources for entrepreneurs and food vendors to grow their businesses and better serve local communities.
Kota Festival is a festival of music arts and culture and a family friendly environment with children’s entertainment always catered for. It is not just a festival, but a tool that creates employment and business opportunities for Kota vendors, sponsors and artists.
It is also a huge contributor to tourism as people travel from other provinces to come to experience South Africa’s favourite delicacy.
Xolani Machele, director of the festival, also plans to provide a platform to the upcoming artists nationwide and will be targeting mostly the artists at every region. City Lodge Newtown and Belgravia, are amongst some of the top sponsors for the Festival.
Machele says all those who want to be a part of the festival to contact him.
