Joburg Pride organisers promise smoother experience at this year’s event
Johannesburg Pride 2025 will feature multiple entertainment stages, food and commercial stalls, providing a larger and more engaging space for celebration in the African queer community The event will have significantly more space than previous years, along with more food and commercial stalls
Image: Johannesburg Pride of Africa
The Johannesburg Pride team said this year’s event will run more smoothly; this comes after the public complained about the venue being overcrowded.
Kaye Ally, Founder of Pride of Africa, said, "Last year, the attendance was overwhelming—we’ve never seen such numbers at Pride. The reality is, it’s difficult to plan given that it’s a free event. We have been working closely with the City of Johannesburg, in particular with the Executive Mayor’s office and his advisers, as well as Operation Team. What we have done is allocate 12,000 square meters last year, and this year we have 15,000 square meters. We are also enhancing the Pride experience by adding three entertainment hubs this year.”
Speaking to IOL during the secret venue party in Doornfontein on Saturday, Johannesburg Pride board member Tebogo Legodi said the team listened to feedback from last year and made big changes to make the 2025 Pride better.
“When we sent out our communiqué, we got a certain number of responses and planned around that,” Legodi said.
“Luckily, our event space has grown a lot. This year, we made sure to get more space, increase security, add more bathrooms.”
For the first time in 36 years, Johannesburg Pride will also have a VIP section. This comes after people in the community asked for an area where they can sit, relax, and enjoy the show comfortably.
“People wanted a space where they could sit and rest while still being part of the celebration,” Legodi added. “We listened and made it happen.”
Some social media users have also shared their thoughts about previous events. TikTok creator @leebonzaa said the 2024 Pride venue was too small and suggested that it should have been held at Wanderers Stadium, like in 2023.
In addition, IOL Media spoke to TikTok star @coacherandy, who said Pride holds a special place in their heart.
“Pride means a lot to me,” they said. “It’s always a positive vibe, and I’m really looking forward to the 2025 celebration.”
The organisers say they’ve taken all this feedback seriously and are working hard to make sure this year’s event is bigger, safer, and better organised.
Johannesburg Pride, Africa’s oldest Pride celebration, continues to stand for love, inclusion, and visibility. With a larger venue and better planning, the 2025 event is expected to be one of the best yet.
IOL