The festival is being paid for by the Metro and is part of a bid to get people to holiday in South Africa. The acting head of Durban Africa, the tourism marketing wing of the Metro, Hixonia Nyasulu, said some of South Africa’s top bands with international followings were being booked for the city. “This is going to be a major festival and most of the concerts are free and open to members of the public. The aim is not only to provide entertainment, but at the same time to ensure service excellence,” she says.

The city would be spruced up, giant stages would be erected at public places and a massive grand concert would be held at King’s Park Stadium. The celebrations would include the 150th anniversary of the Botanical Gardens and the Heritage Day celebrations on September 24.