DURBAN - The North West province's annual Mahika Mahikeng Cultural Music Festival would be taking a "gap year" in 2019, it was announced on Wednesday.
The hiatus would allow for the provincial government to "deliver a repackaged quality music and cultural festival next year", Vuyisile Ngesi, from the premier's office said.
"We have, after careful and in-depth consideration, and after consulting with various stakeholders related to the event, come to a difficult decision not to stage the 2019 Mahika Mahikeng Cultural Music Festival.
"It is without doubt that the festival has grown in leaps and bounds, with small, medium and macro businesses having benefited from providing accommodation and other related services to visitors and music fanatics during the festival period, thus contributing immensely to the economy of Mahikeng," said Ngesi.
"We would therefore like to apologise to all patrons and businesspeople, but we commit that the 2020 edition of the festival will be much better and much more inclusive than the previous editions, with better economic spin-offs for the people of Mahikeng and the entire province of the North West."