Spring Jump Off comes to Lesotho

Chris Theko

The popular and much anticipated, and the biggest fun fest in the Southern Africa Region, the Spring Jump Off, crosses the Maseru border into the mountain kingdom next month.

The event would see some of Lesotho’s top talents sharing the stage with South Africa’s music heavyweights.

After 12 years of the music festival revelry being hosted in South Africa, it will make its way to Lesotho on September 3, 2022, for the main event at the Manthabiseng Convention, while the pool party will take place the following day.

Organised by veteran DJ duo Vetkuk and Mahoota, the outdoor music festival will headline the likes of Kopper, Bootz Dj, Sabby De DJ, Pablo, Thizozo and Nelo, who will be paired with some of SA’s finest, the likes of AKA, Thebe and Kabza de Small.

In an exclusive interview with Newsday Arts, Vetkuk Vs Mahoota said the Spring Jump-off is set to bring a different approach to event organisation in Lesotho.

“Since we are celebrating 21 years as Vetkuk vs Mahoota, we have decided to partner with Big Events and bring the event to Lesotho because we now want the brand to grow beyond South Africa,” Mahoota said.

The Spring Jump Off has partnered with Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation (LTDC), the Ultimate Radio, Maluti Premium Beer and Newsday Media, and the event will be hosted in Lesotho for the next five years.

The duo highlighted that due to some of the partnerships, this is not going to be only about the event, but would incorporate CSI programs which make part of the bigger vision.

“Basically, Lesotho is our new home now, this is going to be the new home for the Spring Jump Off for the next five years and our plans are big. This is going to be a huge event which will not only be about partying and music,” Mahoota explained.

He added, “We are planning the event alongside the LTDC to also make it a tourist attraction event that will see South Africans, people from eSwatini and people from Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique and even beyond coming into Lesotho for the weekend. Through the tourism aspect, some visitors will get to tour the mountains, go skiing and go see the dams.”

With eighty percent of the line-up for the main event being Lesotho acts, the event will be a good stage to showcase the versatility of Basotho artists which in turn seems to be doing exactly what the duo said is in line with one of the top priorities for the Spring Jump Off, to develop artists.

“We aim to also develop Lesotho talent by firstly giving them priority to the main event, through hosting the music conference to impart knowledge to the artist on what the music industry is all about. Following the success of the event we will be having a CSI program whereby we do social responsibility projects by either donating to whoever we will decide on, this is an ongoing program which we are expecting to grow bigger in the next five years,” Vetkuk said.