Cape Town stepped into 2026 to the unmistakable sound of ghoema drums, as thousands gathered on Monday, 5 January, for the annual Tweede Nuwe Jaar celebrations, a centrepiece of the city's cultural calendar that once again turned public spaces into places of shared memory, movement and meaning.
From early morning, spectators lined Somerset Road in Green Point before following the procession toward the DHL Stadium, where close to 25 000 people gathered to witness the formal showcase.
Tens of thousands more watched from pavements and balconies as Kaapse Klopse troupes marched through the city in satin uniforms, faces painted and umbrellas raised in rhythm, as highlighted by the City of Cape Town .
