By Koena Elliot Mokobocho
MASERU – Food is a universal language known to bring people from all walks of life together. Food crosses all boundaries, merging different cultures from across the world. A bowl of food could take you to the Vatican in Rome or even to the Great Wall of China.
The organizers and owners of the famous Jozi Kota Festival, understand the immense power of food, and want to use it to bring Basotho families together; in what will be the very first Lesotho Kota Festival. VIBE PRODUCTIONZ INC has partnered with GOLDEX ENTERTAINMENT (
South Africa) to bring the event to Lesotho. The Festival has received so much love in Johannesburg, with over a 100, 000 followers on Facebook.
The Lesotho Kota Festival is happening, however, we will have to wait for some time. The proposed date for the occasion is the 2nd of November 2024. The venue as of now, is the Maseru Club.
At a press conference held at the Maseru Club Hall, Mohale Lebina emphasized how important it is to have ample time to prepare for the event, not rushing it so it can have a longer lifespan, five years and beyond is ideal. Mohale mentioned how he was persistent in his efforts to get the men responsible for the festival to bring it to Lesotho. Xolane Machele and Luvo Limba of the Jozi Kota Festival were also present to share the big news. They expressed their excitement for the upcoming event and how we would have to “see it to believe it” they said.
The festival is meant to be a family affair; a play area for the kids will be made available so the adults can have a good time while watching the kids. The organizers also shared the details of the event’s program. It is supposed to start at 10 am and end at 10 pm. The venue will be filled with stalls selling varieties of the “Kota”, stalls for refreshments (alcoholic and otherwise) will also be available. There will be musical performances throughout the day, but the details of the artists performing will be kept under wraps. Xolane says that it is meant to be a surprise and that the point of the event is to celebrate the Kota, the music is a bonus.
Luvo shared in the merriment and made it known how excited he was to be in Lesotho. The very first festival of its kind in Lesotho is a very big deal. The organizers want Basotho to understand why Kota is such a big thing in South Africa. For Basotho to be able to partake in the fun, there will be workshops to teach them how to make a Kota, in innovative and fun new ways.
News about the event and other promotional material will be released steadily over four months. Four months before the actual event. However, there are thousands of photos on their Facebook page, and with an official website, you can learn more about the event on and what it could potentially look like for Lesotho. Their Facebook is also a great place for Kota enthusiasts to get inspiration or just have their mouths water over the pictures of the Kotas.
Even though we won’t be able to experience this festival for some time, news of its announcement is already gaining traction online. The general reception is quite good, with most people wishing it was sooner. It’s not hard to discern that the event will become an eventual success and will most probably come back for a second time the following year. It’s exciting to think about all the possibilities and what kind of food and entertainment to expect.