Pictures by A-Team Photography.
Elke nou en dan a new minstrel troupe comes along with big drama and fanfare.
Sadly, many of them fall by the wayside soon afterwards.
Klopse is not a game for sissies. Jy moet hare op jou tanne het vir die game. Vra maar vir die mense wat hulle vingers lelik verbrand het en daarna langs hulle skoene geloop het!
But every so often, a classy, organised Klopse troupe with enough knowledge and experience to play the game pops up. And Playaz is such a troupe.
The Playaz Inc. Minstrel troupe was started by co- owners Bred Scholtz and Achmat Williams and the added executive committee of Rameez Cassiem, Moegsien “Mo” Cassiem and Raeed Galant in Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain in 2018.
Bred says: “At the time, we felt that we wanted to do our own thing, do things differently and really make a difference in our community.
“I knew that the band is the heart of the Klops, and Achmat with his experience and love for brass bands was the perfect partner. We were absolutely overwhelmed by the support from the community and the way the troupe grew in that first year.”
Bred and Achmat then put together one geharde band and coined the term the Playaz Super band, and that amazing band has been a feature and highlight of Playaz Inc. over the last six years. You definitely know that super band sound when you hear it.
From the start, Playaz was a formidable contender, giving all the big guns a run for their money.
The Covid-19 pandemic hit Playaz hard and the troupe lost their great mentor, the late Boeta Maan Williams, Achmat’s father, to the disease.
Playaz dedicated their first carnival win in 2023 to his memory.
Playaz swept the board with that first victory, winning first prizes for all the singing items; namely English Combined Chorus, Afrikaans Moppie, Group Song, first places for both Senior and Juvenile Drum Major, and collected first prizes for a few of the individual items as well, such as Coon song and Juvenile Sentimental.
In 2024, Playaz took a dip. They admitted to not doing as well as they should have, and finished second in their section.
Director Rameez says: “We were not on top of our game this year, but we have gone back to the drawing board and have eradicated all the negative issues that affected the Klopse last year.
“We had to rebuild the super band and our singpak after losing a few members, but we are back and ready for action.”
The band exec for this year is Kyle Daniels, the bandmaster, Warren Hendricks, Tougheed Carelse and Keraan Dinnie.
Playaz has decided to do a Sunday roadshow with their band running up to the competition and practice in a different area every weekend.
Last Sunday, they thrilled the people of Kariba Court in Hanover Park with lekker brass sounds for the afternoon.
A thrilled resident said: “Yoh, die is mos kwaai, man!”
Bred says: “I tell you guys every day, Klops word op die pad gespeel en ons moet reg wies vir die pad!”
People move between troupes. Teams have highs and lows. It’s the nature of the game.
This year, Playaz face stiff competition in their section, competing against the likes of 2024 section winners, West London All Stars, as well as Baruch Entertainers, TV Stars and Phantoms, among others.
It will not be easy, but the Playaz exco is quietly confident that they are going to break a few hearts.
Their colours this season are white, orange and blue, and there is no doubt that they are going to look good.
One can see manne wat die game ken have put this combination together. The uniform looks stunning!
Order your Playaz gear now, mense, it’s selling like hot cakes!
The Playaz slogan for the year is: Orange, White and Blue, we’re coming for you! For uniform enquiries, contact Rameez on 082 852 8444.
Playaz, along with some other troupes, will participate in a grand event in Vredendal on Monday, for a Reconciliation Day celebration.
The event will entertain the people of the West Coast as well as President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Most troupes will also be out on the road for the Voorsmakie on Saturday.
Klopse season is in full swing and the gwarra’ing has begun.
If you can’t stand the heat, don’t even enter the kitchen!
Keep it clean. Keep it decent.
Most importantly though, don’t let your love of the game and the love for your troupe consume you to the point of breaking friendships and family ties.
It is just not worth it, mense.
Laat ons mooi speel met mekaar.
Daily Voice