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Stuff from Johannesburg

Festival of Motoring 2025

Advertorial:
Festival of Motoring 2025:

Johannesburg, South Africa – The 8th edition of the Festival of Motoring powered by WesBank will take place at the iconic Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit from 29-31 August 2025, uniting Africa’s motoring community in the spirit of Ubuntu—”I am because we are.” This year’s event continues its legacy of bringing together automotive brands, enthusiasts, and industry leaders in a celebration of automotive innovation, performance, and excellence.

Michael Dehn, Managing Director of Messe Frankfurt South Africa, the event organizer, adds, “The Festival of Motoring is about more than just cars—it’s about people, passion, and the unity that the automotive world fosters. With WesBank as our naming rights partner, we look forward to delivering an experiential motoring experience.”

Lebo Gaoaketse, Head of Marketing and Communication at WesBank, said: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with Messe Frankfurt South Africa, united in our shared vision to deliver South Africa’s definitive automotive event. The festival thrives on the collective effort and collaboration of all involved, from exhibitors to attendees. We are excited to see how, together, we can surpass previous achievements and showcase the very best the automotive industry has to offer.”

Participating brands for 2025 (in pit/zone order) VW, VW Commercial, Toyota, GAC, Suzuki, BAIC, GWM, Haval, Ora, Tank, Chery, Mahindra, Isuzu, LDV and Subaru. In addition over 100 automotive lifestyle exhibitors will showcase accessories, services, and mobility solutions. Visitors can also engage in complimentary hands-on experiences such as the Self-Handling Track, where they can test their driving skills, and the 4×4 Adventure Zone, designed for navigating rugged terrain.

For those seeking adrenaline-fueled experiences, the festival offers exclusive driving sessions featuring the BMW Motorsport Club Series, Simola Hill Climb, MasterDrive and more. These experiences will be available for purchase from mid-May 2025, offering Festival-only pricing.

This year’s event also marks the debut of the Vilaca Racing Ultimate Car and Driver Challenge, a dynamic competition designed to test both drivers and their machines in time attack laps over three days.

Motorsport enthusiasts are in for a thrilling experience as Formula One-type vehicles hold demonstration laps and the Sunbet ZX10 Masters Cup Superbikes will hold two official rounds at the event. Visitors will see seasoned riders push the limits of Kawasaki ZX10Rs in a battle for supremacy on the track.

In 2025, we are excited to welcome Santam, South Africa’s leading short-term Insurer, as the sponsor of the Premium Suite and Adventure Zone. According to Nondumiso Mabece, Head of Brand and Marketing at Santam, “The sponsorship of the Festival of Motoring enables us to connect directly with vehicle owners who are key decision-makers in purchasing insurance. The Adventure Zone and Self-handling Track activations are strategic areas where Santam will offer a customer-focused and interactive experience, highlighting a variety of insurance products and value added-services available to prospective clients.

The adventure zone located at the skidpan, features a range of exciting activities, starting with Subaru’s obstacle course, where visitors can test their driving skills. Thanks to Santam’s sponsorship, guests can also enjoy a mini carnival suitable for people of all ages, as well as an upgraded premium hospitality suite located on the Sarel van der Merwe rooftop terrace of the main pit building.”

Judy Maharaj, Show Director of the Festival of Motoring, underscores the deeper purpose of the event: “The Festival of Motoring is more than a showcase of cars, it is a platform that affirms car buying as an essential milestone in the journey toward a fulfilling life. We salute the exhibitors of the event for standing alongside their most important stakeholders, the consumers. They embody the true spirit of Ubuntu. The Festival of Motoring is where Africa’s automotive heart beats strongest, where passion, excellence, and community thrive. To not be part of this movement is to miss out on the very essence of what motoring means to the people.

Join Africa’s premier motoring celebration! Early bird tickets with special discounted rates are available at www.howler.co.za until end April. Ticket prices are set at R295 per adult and R82 for children aged 4 to 12 years. Two hospitality options are available: The FoM Santam Premium Suite and the FoM Santam Chill Pod.

To enhance the festival experience, visitors can enjoy complimentary shuttle services provided by SANI Car Rental from the Mall of Africa, as well as internal shuttles by Volkswagen, Isuzu, and Haval to the 4×4 village.

The Festival of Motoring 2025 is set to be a celebration of automotive passion, excellence, and unity. Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of this extraordinary experience!

– MyZA

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The Oriental Plaza: Architecture

Architecturally, the Plaza is a sprawling 17-hectare complex consisting of North and South malls linked by a three-story circular “Grand Bazaar.” But the true magic is in the sensory experience. Walking through the Plaza is an assault of colors and smells: rolls of exotic sari fabrics stacked to the ceiling, the scent of high-quality leather from shoe-repair stalls, and the aroma of toasted spices. It is a place where “bargaining” is an art form—unlike the fixed prices of Sandton, here you engage directly with the owner, often a third-generation merchant whose family was moved from Fietas fifty years ago.

The cultural heart of the Plaza is undoubtedly its food, specifically the legendary World of Samoosas. This small stall has become a local institution, famous for its unique sweet coconut samoosas and its “Nelson Mandela approved” status (the former president was a fan). Near the south entrance, you’ll find a blue heritage plaque marking Red Square. Long before the Plaza was built, this was an open square where the ANC and Communist Party held mass rallies, and where the Defiance Campaign was launched in 1952. The fact that a shopping mall now stands over this revolutionary ground is a poignant reminder of the city’s layered history. The Oriental Plaza didn’t just survive Apartheid; it outlasted the system that tried to use it as a cage, becoming a symbol of the “tenacity and trading ability” that defines the Johannesburg spirit.