WeeklySA_AdminEXTRAVAGANZA: All set for DsTV Delicious Food and Music Festival…
By Priscilla Malinga
The DStv Delicious Food and Music Festival is currently underway with Lauryn Hill as the main attraction on Sunday. Hill is the US’s rapper, singer, actress, songwriter, and record producer.
In an interview, CEO and founder of the festival Tom Pearson said took us to the first time when he hosted the first festival in 2013 at the Blue Hills Equestrian Estate in Kyalami, where Jamiroquai was the main act, and “when artisan food was big”.
He booked artists within the Johannesburg vicinity, relying only on four or five financial streams. A few sponsors were also pulled to boost up “our finances”.
The idea struck Pearson, wondering where he could have a great dish while watching his favourite artist perform live. Today the festival pulls thousands of people, and has grown its offerings.
The festival has enjoyed the support of Foodbev Seta as the founding partner since 2023. It has been bolstered with the establishment of an academy for small-time traders, who are provided with vital skills to establish successful businesses.
There are formal and informal programmes organised by the Gauteng Tourism pre-Covid era. A 10-month course with accredited and non-accredited modules is offered.
The programme, under the auspices of Trader Academy, has produced 10 graduates, a proud moment and huge milestone for the Trading Academy “as the 10 of the graduates are scheduled to be representing their businesses,” according to Pearson.
Jean Hardy, the food curator of the festival, oversees the academy. She has been running “all things food at the DsTV Delicious for a very long time”. “I have been with DsTV delicious for a long time since 2014,” said Hardy.
She said FoodBev Seta has played a vital part in upscaling the small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), to date having helped more than 100 entrepreneurs within the sphere.
The academy has committed to supporting and mentoring small-time entrepreneurs. The results have been phenomenal.
Thabiso Shane Sithole, founder of Mocharitos and beneficiary of the programme, started his business at the Fourways Farmers market in 2017, “doing Mexican foods including tacos, nachos and boritos”. His journey started when he was a student at the University of Johannesburg, looking for something to occupy his time.
He persisted visiting the markets to find good food, and “that is where I got the idea”. “I got curious about starting a business and discussed this with my twin sister,” he said.
On August 10 of that year, he started his business. “I took a lot of pots from my mother’s kitchen, and saved some money to get the things I needed for the business,” he said.
“Being a part of the festival and rubbing shoulders with big brands proved a dream come true for me,” he added.
Kabelo Ndlovu, from Emabhodweni, started her business in 2020. But had to close down the doors due to the onset of Covid. “But I went back to the drawing board, and did programmes with empowering brands such as Tyger Brands.
“I didn’t take this seriously at first,” she said. She used her mother’s kitchen and pans, whatever she could find. Her background as a chef helped her “to create burgers and chips that soon became a hit”.
Toward the end of 2022, she applied to exhibit at the Jozi Kota Festival and got accepted. An experience she was not ready for which left her running around like a headless chicken as she didn’t know what she was expected to do. But she learnt her lesson, “the academy opened new vistas for me”.
She now employs five casual employees and uses them for events. “Now, I am confident to say my business is making profit. I am very nervous and excited at the same time to be a part of this festival,” she said.
Mfundo Gasa of Eli Foods who exhibited at the Soweto Kota Festival, shares the same sentiments about what the academy did for him. Now Eli Foods produces kota using spit braai, “a wonderful experience, thanks to what the academy did for me”.
Logan Mokgele of Bake by Logan, is a baker who started baking at her house and cannot wait to sell her products at the festival on Sunday.
The Delicious Festival Trader Academy (DFTA), powered by FoodBev SETA, has been established to create a more inclusive and resilient food economy.
It provides training, accredited modules, mentorship, compliance support, and trading opportunities for emerging food entrepreneurs.
It has since expanded from 50 students in 2023 to 150 in 2024, offering practical exposure and guided work experience. The academy this year established a branch in Cape Town, with enrolled students totalling 75 SMMEs students in Johannesburg, and 25 in Cape Town.
The main focus is to build long-term sustainability for the SMMEs in the food sector, with the budding entrepreneurs gaining the “behind-the-scenes” experience of working at the country’s largest premium food and music festival.
The decision to have 10 graduates showcase at the event is a continuation of the 2024 milestone where three Academy SMMEs were offered stalls at the Proudly South African Food Mile.
“This demonstrates the academy’s role in driving job creation, market access, and entrepreneurship in the food economy,” says Pearson. “This also represents tangible outcomes of skills development in action,” he said.
The festival attracted over 1 000 international attendees in 2024, and a huge number of the locals. Proudly South African showcased 16 lifestyle and fashion brands.
Talent featured 136 main stage performers and 24 curated acts on the dance Stage.
The effect of this has a strong tourism impact. Entertainment on offer on Saturday includes the International deadliner, Don Toliver.
Local talent includes but not limited to Kwesta, Inkabi Zezwe, Amapiano’s Kelvin Momo, among others. Proudly South African Delicious Food Mile will be showcasing cuisines from South Africa, Asia, Middle East, Europe and the Americas.
On Sunday, Lauryn Hill with Wyclef Jean, Zion and YG Marley, will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
Lira, Joyous Celebration, Khaya Mthetwa, and others will represent local talent.
