THE 2008 MEGAFEST INTERNATIONAL EVENT IN SOUTH AFRICA

Bishop TD Jakes during MegaFest International event

The 2008 MegaFest International event by Bishop TD Jakes took place in Johannesburg at Nasrec Expo Centre on the 11 and 12 October 2008. The Nasrec Expo Centre is the South African largest exhibitions, conference and event site where Mount Zion Tours and Travels (PTY) Ltd (MZTT) was given an opportunity to become one of the service providers with shuttle services to transport over 4000 Americans visiting Johannesburg from October to 20 October 2008.

TD Jakes’s MegaFest festival started in Atlanta in 2004, within three years, it had grown into one of the most widely attended religious events in America, as well as one of the largest gatherings of African-Americans.  In 2008 Bishop TD Jakes decided to take MegaFest international event to South Africa for the first time to give Americans the chance to know Africa. The economic impact of MegaFest international event on the city was enormous.

MZTT contributed to the event with shuttle services to transport the visitors from their located venues to the event and other destinations including public schools, public hospitals and orphanage homes. The visitors also went to places like Soweto, Joburg Apartheid Museum, Lesedi Cultural Village, Sterkefontein Caves ,Maropeng Lodge, Rhino and Lion Park.

"The event itself was aimed at giving back to the community," according to Lumka Dlomo, the business tourism executive at the Johannesburg Tourism Company (JTC).

As part of giving back to the community, most of the American visitors went to the public schools to teach learners while those who were visiting at the hospitals and orphanage homes were giving away free food and clothes.

Most of the visitors were allocated in different hotels in Sandton including Michelangelo Hotel and Towers, InterContinental Hotel hotel, Da Vinci Hotel, Sandton Sun Hotel, Balalaika Hotel and Garden Court Sandton.                   

TD Jakes commented: “the MegaFest International 2008 chose Johannesburg as its first international host destination outside the United State because the city, as the largest and most crowded city area in the country, is rich and boasts the largest economy of any city region in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to traditional MegaFest activities, this year’s event will include African excursions, health and wellness events, and opportunities to learn about rich heritage of South Africa.’’

Mr Willy Kalala, CEO of Mount Zion Tours and Travels (PTY) Ltd commented : “I was pleased with the logistics because everything was well organized even Balalaika Hotel offered us a room which was used as a nerve centre to coordinate the operation.’’  


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