It is nearly the beginning of marula/mukumbi/vukanyi season, when rural unemployed women brew marula beer and sell it to the communities.

In the Niani area in Mutale, villages such as Shakadza, Muswodi, Matshena and Tshipise-Zwigodini, where marula fruits are found in abundance, many rural women are gaining financially because brewing marula beer means making money.

“We are empowering ourselves and sell five litres of marula beer for as much as R40 and two litres for R15, " said Ms Agnes Ralioma of Matshena village outside Mutale. She said that the marula season was helping them to support their families.

The spokesperson for Limpopo Tourism and Parks (LTA), Mr Mike Tauatsola, said the province was poised to receive high volumes of people during the coming Limpopo Marula Festival, given the calibre of artists who will perform during the eight-day event. It will take place from 19 to 28 February at Phalaborwa.

Tauatsola said that the Office of the MEC for Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET) had predicted that revellers would attend a much-improved festival.

According to Tauatsola, the festival will commence on the 19th with the street carnival, comprising various cultural groups, including the South African National Defence Force. The following day, 20 February, the festival will host four professional chefs to prepare a four-course meal for dignitaries at a dinner hosted by the MEC of LEDET, Seaparo Sekoati.

“On the 20th until the morning of the 21st, an open-air concert that will feature artists such as Cassper Nyovest, Ricky Rick, AKA, Emtee, Heavey K, Durban Nyts, Nathi, Mmatema, Oskido, Karabo, Ab Crazy, Ms Cosmo, Kaleido, Zinhle, Professor, Eddie Crook, Deeper Bus, Thallix, Blinks, X Man, Fiona, Master Pule and many more will take place,” he said. 

He added that the festival would this time have a considerable contingent of international guests from Cuba, China and Russia, while a big number will be from Mozambique and other SADC countries. The benefit out of this is the fact that the festival will be filmed and broadcast in Cuba and Latin America. Like the previous festival, the 13 cooperatives of the Mukumbi Industries will brew 12 000 litres of marula beer to be consumed by the public during the festival.

The festival will culminate in a gospel and jazz open-air concert that will feature big names in the South African music industry and will include Lira, Zonke, Tshepo Tshola, Judith Sephuma, Sifiso Ncwane, Winnie Mashaba, Brian Themba, Thomas Chauke, Colbert Mukwevho, Malatji, Khuthane, Magilo, Zozo, Foster and many more.