Students let hair down at carnival

THE Redd’s Street Carnival was unleashed in Port Elizabeth at the weekend with a spectacular display of floats, masks, and colourful costumes.

Hundreds of people joined the procession which started at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Summerstrand and ended at Kings Beach.

It seemed as if everyone was in the mood, with costumes inspired by everything from zombies to naughty schoolgirls.

Drums, trumpets and marionettes helped entertain the procession, and car hooters joined in.

Redd’s general manager Mica Naidoo said the company’s ambition was to support a carnival culture in South Africa “because [carnivals] remind us of the rainbow nation”.

Buvisile Manqele, 21, said: “We opted for the naughty schoolgirl look because it showed the free-spirited people we are.”

Gcineka Sotshangana, 21, wanted to stand out in her zombie-inspired outfit, saying: “A carnival is where you get to be free and enjoy yourself.”

Redd’s has set aside R20 000 of the proceeds to donate to selected arts and culture groups in Port Elizabeth.

When people arrived at Kings Beach, artists like Johannesburg-based DJ Moflava, DJ Pastor from Umhlobo Wenene, Dreamteam, RikyRick, Ifani and Major League entertained the crowd.

-Yoliswa Sobuwa