On Saturday, April 13th, the Hage Geingob stadium was abuzz with anticipation as attendees gathered for what was promised to be an electrifying Amapiano festival. Organized by Desmond Shipanga, better known as DJ Birdie, the event boasted a lineup featuring some of South Africa’s biggest Amapiano DJs, including Kabza De Small, Mr Jazzi Q, and Kaygee The Vibe.
However, what was supposed to be a night of pulsating beats and vibrant performances quickly turned into a debacle. Attendees were met with frustration and disappointment as an electricity outage plunged the stadium into darkness, leaving many clamoring for a refund. To exacerbate matters, a significant portion of the artists and DJs advertised on the poster failed to make an appearance.
Between the hours of 8pm and 9pm, over 200 patrons were left stranded outside the venue due to a lack of wristbands, forced to endure a wait of more than two hours before gaining entry. Despite the chaotic organization, the crowd found solace in the energetic performance of Kabza De Small, even amidst two power outages during his set.
In the midst of the chaos, the only silver lining seemed to be the success of the food and drink vendors. One vendor remarked, “I sold out my food and drinks twice tonight because so many people are supporting.”
Reflecting on the event’s shortcomings, DJ Birdie acknowledged the challenges faced, stating, “Please forgive me if there is not toilet paper in the toilets, but no one believed in this show but me. Thank you to Mr. Shapwa Kamanya and Khadila Amoomo as well as MTC because Namibia Brewers pulled out last minute.”
Despite the setbacks, attendees and organizers alike were left to contemplate the lessons learned from the tumultuous evening, with hopes for smoother operations in future events.
