BY CHELSEA MUSAFARE
AWARD-WINNING contemporary musician Jah Prayzah and comedienne Tyra “Madam Boss” Chikocho will have to wait longer to entertain their fans in neighbouring Botswana after their show scheduled for March 28 was postponed due to the coronavirus.
The duo was part of a stellar line-up of artistes who were billed to perform at the annual Hamptons Jazz Festival that has since been moved to October after the organisers heeded calls to avoid public gatherings to control the spread of the viral infection.
Festival founder Deborah Debbie Smith told NewsDay Life & Style yesterday the decision to postpone the festival was important to lessen travelling in order to prevent the impact of the deadly virus.
“Following the President (Mokgweetsi Eric Masisi)’s advice to the public last week with regards to the pandemic and given that The Hamptons Jazz attracts over 10 000 people with over 70 international band members, plus over 1 500 international fans and festival organisers from United Kingdom, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe, we have followed the advice of health experts and local authorities,” she said.
Smith said the management had cautiously set September or October as the hosting months depending on how the situation unfolds.
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“The organisation together with its stakeholders has made a joint decision to postpone the event. All tickets purchased for the event will be valid for the next event which we anticipate to take place in September or October as suggested by the Hamptonettes. As Hamptons we prioritise the health and well-being of our fans,” she said.
Smith said the music, comedy and dance fiesta that was to be held under the theme: All Things Bright and Beautiful, was centred on cross interaction of talent.
“The event attracts 13 international artistes. There are acts from Botswana being Lister Boleseng, Amantle Brown, Sereetsi, The Nattives, Sethunya Maele and Charma Gal, Zimbabwe’s Jah Prayzah and Madam Boss, Elemotho from Namibia and South Africa’s Vusi Noya, Nathi, Don Lala and Mzwake Mbuli. From Nigeria we have Femi Koya and Jimmy Dludlu from Mozambique,” she said.
The World Health Organisation and respective governments globally have been urging minimised travel since the outbreak of COVID-19 in China a few months ago, before it spread to many other countries.