Carnival brings “joy and fun” to Orange Farm
The theme was Revival of Ubuntu
On Sunday, the streets of Orange Farm were filled with music, bright colours and dancers as a carnival parade made its way through the township.
“We have many challenges in a township like Orange Farm and programs promoting the arts can assist with dealing with some of these challenges,” said Nkosana Ngobese, the brains behind the event which was presented by the Nkosana Ngobese Foundation.
“Even for organising a carnival like this, we created many opportunities for work as we needed designers, seamstresses, choreographers, welders and carpenters,” said Ngobese.
He hopes to make the carnival an annual event.
The theme of this year’s event was “Revival Of Ubuntu” to foster unity within the community and cultivate a positive image of the township.
Located around 45km south of Johannesburg, Orange Farm has high unemployment, failing infrastructure, a lack of services and high levels of crime.
“We are really suffering here in Orange Farm. Things just seem to be getting worse and worse every year. At least things like this carnival can bring some joy and fun for the community, especially for the children,” said resident Themba Khoza.
Hundreds of people participated in the carnival and it was well received by residents who congregated in large numbers.
“I am very happy that this carnival was a success and that everything, from the design of the costumes to the music to the organisation, was done by local township artists,” said Ngobese.
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