Reviving tradition: World Koesister Day returns after four-year hiatus with a focus on youth and heritage
Koesister on a Sunday morning is a Cape Town tradition
Image: Supplied
What is a Sunday morning without a cup of coffee or tea and a koesister? For many households, it’s a tradition passed down through generations – a ritual that connects family, flavour, and heritage. Now, that tradition is stepping onto a bigger stage.
After a four-year hiatus, World Koesister Day (WKD) will make its return on Sunday, 7 September 2025, reimagined as a youth-centred cultural hospitality experience that combines culinary heritage with pathways for economic opportunity.
More than a food celebration, WKD 2025 is positioning itself as a heritage-driven movement. By blending culinary tradition, indigenous knowledge, and inclusive training, organisers said the event demonstrates how culture can unlock youth employment, entrepreneurship, and inclusive economic growth.
Originally conceived by Mark Jacobs, Co-Founder of Vannie Kaap and now a Philosopher & Story/Creative Strategist, the event has been reshaped through three years of pilot programmes led by social enterprise weRproudly NPC. The organisation uses culture as a catalyst for youth empowerment and economic participation.
Since August 2022, weRproudly NPC has tested and refined its dignity-centred training model under the proudlyCOMm UniTY programme, working with differently-abled youth and learners from underserved schools.
Highlights included the Lalalicious Beta (May–June 2024), co-led by herbal scientist Cindy-Lee Knowles, which featured pasta-making sessions with FEDHASA and Glenbridge Skilled School, a CTICC engagement demonstrating classroom-to-industry flows for 25 learners, indigenous foraging and culinary demonstrations at Oakley House High, and fine-dining mentorship with Chef eSTEVE, where learners with disabilities gained service experience in front of cultural and industry leaders including Marlene Le Roux of Artscape.
These pilots showcased that adapted training delivers real-world skills and that industry partners are prepared to engage when initiatives are practical and credible. Accessibility and policy guidance were led by liveABLE founder Tarryn Tomlinson, ensuring best-practice standards.
On 7 September, SunSquare Hotel in Gardens will host the official launch. Twenty youth participants will deliver a hospitality service and storytelling showcase, culminating in the selection of three winners for the “Best Indigenous-Infused Koesister.” All participants will gain fast-tracked access to mentorship, placements, and enterprise opportunities.
The event also introduces the COMm UNiTY Portal, a joint venture between Insignis Solution, Leelyn Management, and weRproudly NPC, which will provide onboarding into the Koesisters en Koffie Chapter (from October 2025), ongoing mentorship, training schedules, and placements, tracking of learner progress and surfacing of micro-business opportunities, and a gateway for industry partners to engage, sponsor, and hire trained youth.
“World Koesister Day has always been about culture, craft and community. After three years of practical testing, we are ready to show how dignity-centred hospitality training, designed with accessibility guidance from liveABLE, can create real pathways for youth,” said Mark Jacobs, weRproudly NPC.
“By spotlighting the Cape Malay koesister, this event not only celebrates our heritage but also creates economic opportunities and positions Cape Town as a world-class cultural destination,” said James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth and Tourism.