KLOP DIT FLOU

All you need to know about today's Kaapse Klopse Carnival parade in the Mother City

- BRANDON NEL

DIE ding gaan ruk en kriewel when minstrel troupes take to the streets of Cape Town for the annual Tweede Nuwe Jaar parade today.

Officially known as the Hollywoodbets Cape Town Street Parade, the Tweede Nuwe Jaar kicks off five weeks of intense competition among the Mother City's minstrels.

The parade, organised by the Kaapse Klopse Carnival Association (KKKA), brings together various troupes who will march, drum, and dance through the city centre from Greenpoint to the Cape Town Stadium.

Thousands of spectators will line the streets, clapping, cheering, and following the performers as they show off their colourful outfits, top hats, and dazzling costumes.

For many performers, the parade is the highlight of the year, a chance to show off months of practice and to celebrate their culture and community.

The director of the KKKA, Muneeb Gambeno, said the colourful movement started during the colonial era when slaves were allowed one day a year to celebrate the New Year.

While the parade itself is not judged, it marks the start of the season and allows troupes to perform in public before moving on to the competitions.