Rage Festival to add Margate to KZN offering in 2022

Next year’s post-matric Rage Festival is moving south.

The organisers on Tuesday announced the 2022 Rage Festival will include Margate on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast as an addition to its regular venues in Ballito on the north coast.

Wozani Africa Events reached out to the festival organisers, Rage Festival Group, to offer Margate as a host town with the support of the Ray Nkonyeni municipality, Margate Business Association, Margate Ratepayers’ Association, Margate Community Police Forum and the police.

“Our festivals have enjoyed a successful 19-year history in Ballito, 11 years in Jeffreys Bay and 22 years in Plettenberg Bay. They have become synonymous with world-class productions, unrivalled safety and the best musicians SA and the world has to offer.

“The festivals have earned their status as a rite of passage for SA’s matriculants and students, with events booked up to a year in advance — and year after year,” said Rage Festival Group CEO Greg Walsh.

He said Margate’s main beach offered the festival a unique platform to create “a walking festival experience yet unseen in our history”.

“Within 400m of the main festival beach site are multiple freshly upgraded hotels, new restaurants, bars and a community willing to close roads and safely welcome the matric class of 2022 for the week of their lives.

“Festival revellers will be able to book their entire experience, Rage Passport, accommodation and even flights in a single transaction, which is another first for the Rage Festival Group.” 

Vicky Wentzel, group CEO of Wozani Africa Events, described Margate as the “perfect event-staging town.

“You can relax, sleep, play here with the warm Indian Ocean or great outdoor pools all in close quarters. It is the perfect event party town. Over the past two years, Margate business owners have spent time investing and upgrading the incredible beachfront strip which is ready to welcome holidaymakers.”

The event is expected to bring about R250m to the region.

Ray Nkonyeni mayor Cynthia Mqweba said it was crucial that everyone worked together to ensure the event’s success.

“The south coast has so much to offer visitors and we hope the Margate Rage Festival will act as a platform to showcase what the area offers. Tourism is undeniably the region’s biggest income generator, and with this dynamic team of organisers and the support of local communities and businesses, this could be a huge boost for the area.”

The week-long event will take place around the end of November or start of December 2022, depending on the matric examination timetable.

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