DJs’ long spin to success
DJs organise parties for charity
Two Gauteng deejays who started small by organising backyard parties have now grown their business into a money-spinning enterprise.
Among the Daveyton, Ekurhuleni, pair’s interests is an annual award-winning event which rakes in more than R4-million.
Garry Magagula, 33, and Gregory Hlatshwayo, 38, said after establishing their brand they were then driven by the desire to help the needy and uplift their community.
From 2009, when they started hosting an annual party to celebrate their birthdays, they later developed the idea of “partying for a purpose”. They then requested their supporters to donate nonperishable goods that would be given to a charity organisation in the township.
The beneficiaries of the first event were Badanisile Place of Safety – a home which houses homeless children, child-headed households and others.
Hlatshwayo said their initial success in assisting the needy encouraged them to start knocking on doors for sponsorships and turned their backyard parties into annual outdoor picnics, which quickly gained popularity.
“That meant bigger venues and more budget, more hands, sound equipment and event compliance regulations that needed money that we did not have,” Hlatshwayo said.
The theme of their first picnic event was “Denim and White” where people were required to wear sunglasses.
That would become the precursor to now popular “Rock da Shades”, which has now been running for seven years.
Magagula said although they had had a great success with their deejaying business, they decided to keep their jobs.
He is in information technology, while Hlatshwayo is an electrical engineer.
“We have kept our day jobs because we want to grow [Rock da Shades] event to an international status. That would help us do more charity work and keep giving job opportunities to youth,” Magagula said.
He said they decided to use last year’s proceeds to buy bulk groceries which donated to different poor homes.
They also bought school uniforms, shoes, and sanitary pads for girls in a local school.
The duo said they felt they needed to play a bigger role in their community because they were also from poor backgrounds.
They now employ 30 fulltime staff and over 700 people on the weekend of their annual event.
Magagula said the support had been overwhelming over the years and the 17 000-capacity Dries Niemandt recreation park in Kempton Park, was now becoming smaller for their ever growing event as it now drew around 20 000.
“Although the event turnover would be R5-million or R7-million, the demand for bettering it [remains high].
“So we have to consider saving the profits from each event for the next one,” Magagula said.
He said they spent more than 50% of the turnover towards paying artists, safety officers, cleaners, car guards, paramedics and bouncers among others.
Multiple award-winning Afro-pop duo Mafikizolo will be among 30 artists scheduled to perform at the 7th Rock da Shades on Saturday.
The group’s front lady, Nhlanhla Nciza, said: “We started working with them in 2013 and I am proud of the way Garry and Greg have worked hard to build the biggest brand in Ekurhuleni all on their own.”
The Spring Day event takes place at Dries Niemandt park.