By: Zethu Gweva
“One of the driving forces of this festival is to realize the potential of young people of the Ncera community. There is a myth that rural people can not achieve.” Those were the words of the Ncera Macadamia Farming Chairperson Mnyamana Jongolo addressing the media at the Ncera Great Place, yesterday.
According to Jongolo, the 3rd annual Macadamia Harvest Festival which will take place on the 13th and 14th of March at Ncera Great Place, in Ncera Village. The event is not only to create a platform for entertainment but to develop the nature of the festival which will create opportunities to develop the local communities.
He added that they want to create space for rural young people on that day to receive training opportunities.
“We want to bring all government bodies such as SETA and the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform to showcase what are the developmental programmes that can be exposed to people. SASSA and Home Affairs to assist people who don’t have social grants or those that lost their identity documents,” said Jongolo.
The Vulindlela Investment Trust Chairperson and a founding member of the Macadamia Skills Academy NomaXhosa Jongilanga said the festival is a celebration of black excellence. She said on Friday, 13 March, it is the graduation day of the Macadamia Skills Academy and a community day where students are brought to watch the graduation ceremony.
“As you can see, this is not entertainment but it is also edutainment because we are using the festivals as a catalyst for us to be a variable and sustainable tourism destination in the Eastern Cape,” said Jongilanga.
Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform HOD Bongikhaya Dayimani supports the festival and the department has established a technical team that will oversee the preparations.
“We will ensure that the festival is a success. We expect more people and we encourage all departments to participate,” said Dayimani.
The activities lined up for the festival include a fun-run, helicopter rides, plantation tours, photo booths, and many others.