The usually drab Noluthando Hall in Joza received a quick make-over for the Makana/Capitec Civic Awards on Saturday evening.
The usually drab Noluthando Hall in Joza received a quick make-over for the Makana/Capitec Civic Awards on Saturday evening.
Municipal officials, local artists and members of various local organisations went all out to look their best for the evening, a rare sight indeed. The creme-de-la-creme of the Grahamstown community ensured that they were seen in their best attire during the awards ceremony. Colourful, silky dresses, glittery clutch bags and jewellery ruled in the ladies area while the men sported designer suits and traditional outfits, even though for some the colour coordination didn’t work out that well.
Courtesy of Tozi caterers, the hall boasted blue, red, gold and white drapery which matched the colours of Capitec Bank’s logo colours. However Tozi didn’t excel in the culinary department. Let’s just say that the food would have given Gordon Ramsay a heart attack! Starting off with a bun, butter and two dry chicken livers, the main course of greasy fried chicken and tasteless roast lamb finished off with cream cake and Ultramel didn’t please the stomach or the palate.
Some of the guests started misbehaving during the ceremony, possibly because they had helped themselves to wine before the programme even started. They kept shouting at the top of their voices. "Fak’ umlilo! (add some fire!)", exclaimed one of the tipsy, louder than Jim Carey guests who kept being called into order.
On the entertainment scene the host of the show, Sizwe "Slyso" Saliso lifted everyone’s spirits with his sense of humour and energy on stage. Attired in a black suit complemented by a red tie he kept the fire of the event burning despite Jim Carey’s protestations. He even recited a poem which he said reminds him of what his parents taught him about life.
Buli G, a former Algoa FM DJ and M-Net Idols talent search participant kept everyone in a groovy mood with her angelic voice. Everyone danced and backed her up while she sang, Miriam Makeba’s Igqirha Lendlela and Aretha Franklin’s You make me feel like a natural woman.
The Municipal Manager, Ntombi Baart, Council Speaker Rachel Madinda and Councillor Thuleka Ngeleza all shook what their mommas gave them as they danced the night away.
The local MJ gospel group sang a well-known gospel hymn, Beulah Land. Cameras kept flashing around the hall as the clanging of cutlery echoed in the air as the tasteless three-course meal was served. Clearly someone up there was guiding us through the painful ordeal of having to chew on the bland meal. To round it all off nicely, the eventful evening ended with an anti-climax of an after party at Lounge Around cocktail bar in New Street.
