You’ve attended citywide clean-up efforts, called on President Ramaphosa to make sanitary pads available in the country’s schools, and asked the leaders of Kenya to pursue universal health care. And in the process, you won tickets to the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, presented and hosted by the Motsepe Foundation on Dec. 2 in Johannesburg.

Now that you have your tickets, you have to get ready for an exciting day of music and advocacy. You’re probably wondering what you should pack and what you won’t be allowed to bring into the venue.

Here’s a breakdown of what is and isn’t allowed at the festival. For additional festival information, such as how to get to the stadium and what time to get there, go here.


What you can / should bring

  • Your ticket

  • Your ID to buy alcohol

  • Money for food and drink

  • 1 small bag (15 cm x 15 cm x 30 cm or less) per person

  • Sunscreen

  • Hat

  • Sunglasses

  • Power bank  for your phone


What you can’t bring

  • Glass bottles or containers

  • Sharp objects, which could potentially be used as projectiles (excluding sunglasses, binoculars, and prescription or reading glasses)

  • Illegal drugs of any kind

  • Skateboards, scooters, roller blades, or bicycles

  • Knives, weapons of any nature, or fireworks

  • Objects of any kind that could be used to distract, hinder, or interfere with any performer including laser pointers and flashlights

  • Flags, banners, or other objects that may obstruct the view of other patrons are permitted

  • Whistles, horns, musical instruments, loud hailers, public address system

  • Professional cameras, tablets, video recorders, and digital, electronic, or other recording or broadcast devices

  • Items that you intend to distribute, hawk, sell, offer, expose for sale or display for marketing or promotional purposes

  • Animals apart from authorised guide/companion dogs

  • Dangerous goods of any kind and any other items by management to be dangerous or capable of causing a public nuisance

  • Umbrellas

  • Braais, camping chairs, cooler boxes or open fires

  • Chairs (of any kind)

  • Selfie Sticks

  • Items deemed to be offensive

Amnesty bins will be placed at all entrances where prohibited items can be placed within these bins prior to entering the search points. The amnesty bins will be removed and confiscated by the South African Police Service.


The Global Citizen team is committed to your safety and comfort throughout the festival, and we want to make sure nothing stands in the way of you enjoying the day’s scheduled events.

The most important thing to do in the lead-up to the festival — aside from getting your tickets ready and planning your travel — may be brushing up on Beyoncé or Cassper Nyovest lyrics so that you can sing along when they take the stage.


The Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 is presented and hosted by The Motsepe Foundation, with major partners House of Mandela, Johnson & Johnson, Cisco, Nedbank, Vodacom, Coca Cola Africa, Big Concerts, BMGF Goalkeepers, Eldridge Industries, and associate partners HP and Microsoft.

Explainer

Demand Equity

Everything You Can and Can’t Bring to the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100

By Joe McCarthy