After a two-year-long break due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Cape Town Street Parade popularly known as the Tweede Nuwe Jaar celebrations made a triumphant return to the streets of Cape Town in South Africa.

The Cape Town Street Parade welcomed about 20,000 performers divided in dozens of troupes who marched into the city center while playing music and dancing for the annual Cape Town ministrel carnival.

The parade started in Hanover Street, District six of Cape Town on January 2nd and continued until 10pm in Bo-Kaap.

With the event now been on the festive season calendar, the local people are incredibly elated and overwhelmed as to its come back.

According to Marco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith said: “We are incredibly excited to see these events return to our festive season calendar, not only for the benefits of the participants, but also the thousands of spectators”.

He added that this is the “first time in a number of years, Cape Town will usher in the new year on a traditional note, and the people could not be happier”.

The festivity has its origin from the colonial times when slaves were allowed to relax on the day after New Year’s Day.

Now it is seen as a celebration of Cape’s diverse culture, which starts with a week’s long competition where ministrels battle it out for the title of best troupes.