News24 | Limited seats and drinks, but great vibe: Inside the 2024 947 Joburg Day

• The 947 Joburg Day music festival took place on Saturday and some attendees felt the R700 Chill Zone tickets were not worth the cost due to limited seating and drink options.
• Many attendees struggled to find seats and were disappointed with the lack of variety in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
• Despite the issues, many attendees agreed the vibe was great and food service inside the Chill Zone was efficient. 
• For more lifestyle news, go to the News24 Life front page.

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The power of piano shone through at the 2024 947 Joburg Day as Scorpion Kings drew crowds to the front of the stage at Crocodile Creek Estate in Lanseria. 

Known for their signature mellow start to their sets, DJs Maphorisa and Kabza De Small got the large crowd warmed up before they started playing their speaker-knocking hits like Izolo and Bopha. 

The hundreds of people jumping in unison to the beat were testament to Maphorisa’s ability to weather the significant controversies that continue to come his way. The DJ duo also managed to score two brief on-stage appearances from Samsung Galaxy A Series.

Other acts that got the crowd going include Will Linley and Mi Casa whose smash hit Jika proved to be the highlight of the day. 

Although 947 Joburg Day is mostly about music, scores of little ones who joined their parents for the family-friendly event enjoyed the activations spread across the festival grounds as their parents sat by watching them from the comfort of camp chairs beneath the tented sections. 

However, despite the great weather and vibrant atmosphere, many attendees left feeling they didn’t get their money’s worth, especially those who paid R700 for tickets to the exclusive Chill Zone at 947’s Joburg Day.

“To be quite honest, it wasn’t worth it for me,” said one attendee about the Chill Zone at 947 Joburg Day, an annual music and family festival which took place at Crocodile Creek in Lanseria, Johannesburg, on Saturday.

This sentiment was echoed by many who felt the experience did not justify the R700 cost.

As one of the media houses invited, News24’s Phumi Ramalepe was accommodated in the Chill Zone, courtesy of KFC and Simba while Kaunda Selisho was a guest of Samsung.

The Chill Zone area featured various seating arrangements, a bar, food trucks, and exclusive toilets. However, the experience was far from perfect.

Having arrived around noon, Ramalepe says the weather was delightful – warm and windy with the sun shining throughout the day.

However, most seats were already occupied by then. By 14:00, latecomers were left with either the worst seats or no seats at all, a situation that worsened by 15:00.

Ramalepe found herself constantly checking on the seats that she and the other invited media had “reserved”, as people pleaded to squeeze in due to the lack of available seating.

Many attendees had not brought their own chairs or picnic mats, relying on the Chill Zone’s promise of ample couches, benches and swing chairs for all. 

Squeezing next to each other on benches wasn’t the only problem.

“There aren’t enough seats, there aren’t enough drink options,” one attendee complained.

“For you to pay R700, sit on the side, and not have a view of the performance on stage – totally unimpressed.”

The R700 ticket promised parking, but attendees found themselves parked with the general access crowd.

“It’s supposed to include parking and seating, but I don’t even have a seat, and we parked with the masses. They lied to us,” another attendee said.

Because drink options were limited, those who didn’t bring their own beverages had fewer than four alcoholic options, including Smirnoff slushies and Castle Lite beer.

“I’ve given up and having water instead because most drinks are sugary, the drinks are hot, even the water is not cold,” one attendee said.

Another added: “I’m a drinker, and the alcohol is horrible. I’ve never seen any of the alcohol in there.”

Non-alcoholic options were equally disappointing. The slushies didn’t have a non-alcoholic version, and the only other choices were Pepsi, Mountain Dew, or Coke. Both cans Ramalepe ordered at separate times were not cool or refrigerated.

Despite the lack of seats and drink variety, attendees agreed the music and vibes were great. However, due to their late arrival, many couldn’t get a good view of the stage or the screen.

“I just need to have a view of the stage, and right now I’m viewing the stage from afar. I can’t see the performance. If there was a screen right inside the Chill Zone, I’d be happy,” one attendee told News24.

Having experienced the Chill Zone firsthand, Ramalepe also felt they could have offered a wider variety of options.

However, the overall aesthetic of some sections was pleasing to the eye, and the food service from the five vendors on-site was satisfactory.

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