Durban - Guests attending the 119th Vodacom Durban July will receive five-star treatment if the marquees are anything to go by.
Many conformed with this year’s theme of The Captain’s Table, decorating their marquees in red, navy blue and white.
The organiser of the Durban Tourism Pavillion marquee Sim Tshabalala, who has been organising the Durban July for 10 years, said he chose to go for the more vintage theme for the décor.
“We have 500 guests in the Royal Durban Golf Club venue and 200 in the Pavillion marquee. The theme is reminiscent of a very vintage era, colonial times and the Titanic as the overriding theme.”
Tshabalala said about 90 celebrities will be hosted.
“We have Basetsana and Romeo Kumalo, Pearl Thusi and Phat Joe will be entertaining our guests while Somizi Mhlongo will be our fashion police for the day.”
‘Relaxed afternoon’
In the Baluga Hospitality marquee, Patricia Verway said they chose to go for the nautical theme.
“We wanted our guests to have a nice relaxed afternoon,” said Verway.
The public relations officer of the Sibaya Casino and Entertainment World, Mohnish Ramgovind said, “This Captain’s Table is the main table where the captain has only his closest friends invited. Our marquee is the main table for the casino’s VIP guests.”
The marquee is hosting 400 guests including Miss South Africa, Liesl Laurie and first lady Tobeka Madiba-Zuma. An organiser who was in charge of four marquees, Equis Lounge, Crotia, Old Mutual and Trackside, said he did not follow the theme instead did what his client wants.
“As you can see that in the Old Mutual marquee we chose to go with green because that is our clients colour. At Equis we went with the latest trends, clients gave me pictures of the latest trends in colours and off the runway and that is what we did there,” said the man who did not want to be named.
Soccer boss Irvin Khoza. (Pictures: Amanda Khoza, News24)