Thulane RadebeShot’left to the Joburg shopping festival in #GeePee
I know i speak for the whole country when I say, we average South Africans don’t travel enough, locally and otherwise. To curb this traditional mindset from continuing the guys at Gauteng Tourism have added another reason, not that they needed one, for South Africans, and non-South Africans to find even more reason to make their way to Mzansi’s heartbeat and pace setting province, Gauteng.
Shopping festivals around the world are a major tourism booster, in the world’s leading fashion consumer capitals, such as Dubai, Istanbul and Hong Kong. The city of Johannesburg needs no introduction; it is renowned all over the world and citizens of South Africa and neighboring countries for its cunning respect , razor sharp and unforgiving fast paced culture. It is said that no one is from Johannesburg, well that would have made sense 20 years ago, under the circumstances of the old regime. Most of the so called “born frees” are born and raised in Joburg, which ultimately makes it their home, they can proudly claim that they are from Jozi Maboneng.
Unlike other provinces what Joburg lacks in its Greenery it makes up for in contemporary modernism and infrastructure developments, one of the hosts to this spectacular festival was none other than, a shopping mall in Africa’s finest city, The richest square mile in the continent. Sandton City boasts some of the most upscale flagship stores in the world and also plays host to some high end hotel accommodation’s and businesses. It was only fitting that the monumental Oriental Plaza on the hip of the inner city Johannesburg in Fordsburg be awarded the pleasure to host the other leg of the #JoburgShopFest.
This event not only puts Johannesburg a cut above the rest, but it also persists to encourage ordinary people to understand that #GeePee is a province of mammoth possibilities. Lerato Kganyago and Batsile Ramasodi were a dynamic duo MCee’ng on both the ribbon cutting and briefing opening ceremonies in Sandton and Oriental Plaza. Amazing Discounts, bargains and big prizes up for grabs, The festival ran from 30 Oct – 02 Nov, you would have recognized stores that took part in the #JoburgShopFest by a pink A3 festival sticker displayed on the window of the respective store.
Because JHB is world class city, Gauteng Tourism extended an invitation to some influential, young minds from our neighboring country, Botswana, it was only fair that we(Book of Swag) one of Gauteng’s leading young urban youth content bloggers are also invited to accompany and entertainment the Botswana media team on their shot’left in Johannesburg. The Maslow Hotel and The Times executive suites played hosts for 2 nights, a wonderful lady from the office of Gauteng tourism, who introduced herself as Nonhlanhla Mbethe, would be our guide and host for the duration of the shot’left, She displayed humility and great etiquette, treated us local media no different from our Botswana based counterparts, as a result of her warm spirit, new friendships were forged, emails were exchanged and it is clear that more, younger and enthusiastic creatives, travelers and ambitious patrons from all walks of life are set to take advantage of this beautiful province, either from the Red city bus tours to Soweto, to learn about the rich culture of South Africa’s biggest and most contemporary Township, a must see destination for most tourist, or learn more about the city of gold and what makes its City-zens tick.
The #JoburgShopFest also offered VISA card holders an opportunity to be spotted by the VISA card superhero, who will without hesitation swipe for any member making a purchase with their VISA card. To make things more interesting, there were shot’left prizes to drive any retail addict to the closest Joburg Shopping Festival endorsed mall, such as Sandton City and Oriental plaza as previously mentioned. The Guateng tourism board and the city of Johannesburg plan to make this event even bigger next year, and in attempt to reinforce Jozi as a definite city of monstrous events, they are also preparing for the Sansui Summer cup on the 29 Nov’2014, while the #MBFWAFrica continued by night, it surely goes to show that indeed in Gauteng, Joburg city is one that never sleeps like popular rapper Reason.
Photo Cred Annelize Nel