The competition was fierce as the Kaapse Klopse Karnival Association (KKKA) troupes battled at Athlone Stadium on Saturday.
11 of the 24 KKKA teams took part in the second week of the carnival competition.
KKKA director Muneeb Gambeno explains: “There are 24 troupes in the carnival, so we had to divide the troupes in two and it doesn’t categorise the teams when divided; it’s just so we be can be organised.”
Between the two groups, each one gets a chance to compete on each Saturday.
The first section consisted of Lavender Bright Stars, Baruch Entertainers, Young Dynamic Minstrels, West London All Stars, Young Mitchells Plain Tycoons, Wild Commaches, Hip Hop Minstrels, Original D6 Hanover Minstrels, Playaz Inc, Mitchells Plain All-Stars and Kenfac.
The troupes showed off their singing talents on stage in the items Juvenile Combine Chorus, Junior Sentimental, English Combine and Afrikaans Moppie.
Imaad Solomons, 12, from Original D6 Hanover Minstrels, blew the crowd away when he sang The Drifers’ classic hit Please Stay, in the Juvenile Sentimental category.
Mogamat Isgak Mitchell, 14, from Lavender Bright Stars also won hearts with Shirley Bassey’s This Is My Life.
Legends of the klopse fraternity were in the audience to “scout the young talent”.
Omar “Boeta Maan” Adams, who always seeks fresh talent for his Kinders Van Die Ses group, was there paying attention to the performances.
“Here is where I gain encouragement for my shows and here are the gems of hidden talent,” he says.
Singer Toyer Abrahams added: “This is where most big names started out, on this stage as child singers. Jonathan Butler, Ronnie Joyce, Alistair Izobell and more, all their careers started here.
“These are the kids we must invest in.”
The Afrikaans Moppie is always a big crowd favourite.
Our own Moppie King, Waseef Piekaan, came out of retirement and took the lead in the Moppie section for West London All Stars.
Son of the late great Taliep Petersen, Ashur Petersen, also made an appearance to do the Moppie for Baruch Entertainers.
Next week sees the rest of the troupes competing.