16 Sep 2026

Kgalagadi North District Council and Macheng Bushfire Festival have joined forces to promote arts, culture and tourism, as well as create opportunities for youth empowerment and socio-economic development through a Memorandum of Understanding signed on Tuesday.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, council secretary  Masaoko Katorah said initiatives such as the Macheng Bushfire Festival had an important role to play as the district continued to position itself as a destination for cultural tourism and community-driven development.

He said the festival contributed to attracting visitors to the district, stimulating local businesses and creating opportunities for young people.

Katorah said under the MoU, the council, in accordance with its mandate and subject to the availability of resources, would promote environmental conservation initiatives, including tree planting and waste management, while stimulating local economic growth through the participation of local businesses and communities.

He said the council would also create employment and empowerment opportunities for youth and local residents, provide the necessary approvals including permits and regulatory guidance to facilitate the successful hosting of the event, while also facilitating access to the event site and providing basic infrastructure where possible.

Katorah added that the council would among others, support coordination, promote the festival through its official communication platforms to increase awareness and encourage participation, as well as provide technical support.

For his part, Macheng Bushfire Festival director, Kabelo Moapare said when the event was launched in 2023, attendance was low, prompting the organisers to explore ways of attracting more people to the festival.

He said they subsequently identified the involvement of local entrepreneurs and district leaders as key to growing the event and advancing its mandate of promoting tourism in the district.

Moapare said the festival had since expanded its tourism focus to include environmental, cultural and adventure tourism.

He said the organisers came up with the idea of promoting pans across the district through races as a way of showcasing the area’s environmental tourism potential.

He added that cultural tourism was being promoted by providing a platform for cultural groups representing different ethnic communities in the district to perform during the festival, thereby showcasing and celebrating the district’s diverse cultural heritage.

Looking ahead, he said the festival also intended to venture into adventure tourism, taking advantage of the district’s proximity to several national parks.Moapare stated that the organisers wanted to develop a weekend tourism programme for visitors travelling to the parks.

He said the organisers were pleased with the council’s support, noting that the growth of the festival was already beginning to translate into economic benefits.

Moapare highlighted that this year’s event had attracted more visitors, resulting in increased business for establishments in the district.

He said the developments were an indication that the festival was moving in the right direction, as its growth was creating opportunities for local businesses and communities to benefit from tourism.

He said the organisers wanted to “sell the diamond of tourism” in Kgalagadi North to a wider audience, with the ultimate goal of positioning the district as a hub of choice for tourists.

Kgalagadi North District Council’s finance committee chairperson Inajame Motlhane said the council welcomed initiatives that brought tangible benefits to the community.

He acknowledged that new initiatives often faced challenges in their early stages, and urged the organisers not to be discouraged but to remain focused on growing the festival.oMotlhane said the MOU marked the council’s first formal agreement with a non-governmental entity, as its agreements had traditionally been between government departments.

He described the partnership as special because of its direct focus on community development, saying it therefore required transparency and accountability from all parties.

Motlhane expressed optimism of the positive outcomes that would result from the partnership between the council and Macheng Bushfire Festival.  ENDS