- Fundiswa Mziyana, a 40-year-old retail worker from Khayelitsha, cut her R2,000 grocery budget to attend a Maskandi festival in Cape Town.
- The Khayelitsha Maskandi Festival gave music lovers a chance to relax while local vendors earned money selling food outside the stadium.
A Khayelitsha woman cut her grocery budget to watch her favourite Maskandi stars perform live.
Fundiswa Mziyana, 40, works in retail and supports four family members, including her mother.
With most of her salary going towards household bills, she rarely has money left to enjoy herself.
But she refused to miss the Khayelitsha Maskandi Festival, held at Khayelitsha Stadium on Saturday.
“I am a retail worker supporting four family members, including my mother. I don’t have money to take myself out,” said Fundiswa.
She started saving for a ticket, transport and food so she could attend the festival.
Fundiswa said she usually spends R2,000 on groceries, but since April she has been making sure she buys only the basics to save money.
Her goal was to watch her favourite Maskandi artists, Khuzani and Limit, perform live.
“The Maskandi Festival is the only day in the year I get to spoil myself by watching my favorite artists like Khuzani and Limit live,” she said.
For Fundiswa, the festival was about more than music.
She said singing along with the artists and meeting new people helped her forget about her problems for a while.
Working hard without having money to enjoy life can be stressful, she said.
Entertainment is usually the first thing she cuts when her salary cannot cover all her bills.
“That’s why I made sure that I attend the Maskandi to make myself happy,” she said.
Fundiswa was not the only person who needed a break.
Nolonwabo Dinisa, 30, paid R300 for her ticket because she did not want to miss the chance to see her favourite artists in her own township.
“The event gives us time to relax, forget about high crime, extortion, taxi war, and everything bad that is happening in Cape Town at the moment,” said Nolonwabo.
She said travelling to other areas to watch the same artists would cost more money.
Having the festival in Khayelitsha made it easier for her to attend.
The event also brought business to local food sellers.
Nolikhaya Liwana, 45, sold meat and sausages outside the stadium.
She said music fans supported her business and she was able to go home at about 20:30 after a busy day.
“The support we get from the people attending the event is amazing,” said Nolikhaya.
She welcomed the festival because it gave residents entertainment while helping small businesses make money.
“We are grateful to people who are bringing these big events to our townships,” she said.
For Fundiswa, the money she saved meant she could finally do something for herself.
And for the vendors outside the stadium, the music brought customers and a chance to earn extra income.
