“The SABC has a long history with the Cape Town International Jazz Festival and it gives us pleasure to officially announce this partnership. This announcement comes at a time when the SABC’s new GCEO, Lulama Mokhobo, has recently been appointed and underlines the national public service broadcaster’s commitment to support events that celebrate and reflect South Africa’s identity and diverse culture,” says SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago.

Rashid Lombard, CEO of espAfrika, commented that the SABC has been instrumental in the success of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival since its inception in 2000. “We are extremely proud to have the SABC on board again in 2012. The SABC’s contribution in terms of its national footprint is significant. This is especially true when it comes to creating awareness for the training and development programme that supports the festival each year.”

“Co-sponsorship of the organised workshops and master classes, aimed at a new generation of musicians, is key to the national public service broadcaster. While the SABC’s mandate is to educate, entertain and inform, it is imperative for the SABC as the country’s biggest communicator and a responsible corporate citizen to move beyond its mandate and, alongside government, NGO’s and other corporates, take its place in developmental issues. By co-sponsoring the workshops, the SABC supports the development of arts and culture and fosters creative excellence,” Kganyago said.

The SABC will also be sponsoring four promising caddies from the Caddy Foundation during the official Cape Town International Jazz Festival’s golf day. The four chosen caddies will be mixed into other four-balls with potential sponsors in order to expose their ability. SABC will kit them out in golf gear on the day. During the prizegiving, the SABC will present the Caddy Foundation with a sponsorship to be used towards future travel expenses incurred by the caddies to participate in provincial tournaments.

“The CTIJF provides a platform to the Caddy Foundation for exposure and networking with captains of industry but more importantly, to harness their skills and art in the sport of golf. The caddies are true journeymen of the game, unsung heroes of golf and are overlooked as they do not fit the profile of sponsors or the public. They travel on buses and taxis to make it to tournaments and carry bags, yet the golfer gets the accolades. The line and direction is given to the golfer by his caddy so they are of utmost importance to the player and the backbone of the team. By giving recognition to the caddy, we also acknowledge their plight and have done something tangible for them in the future. We are extremely pleased with the SABC’s sponsorship of these unsung heroes,” says Billy Domingo, CEO of espAfrika.

No less than six SABC radio stations will ensure that listeners who are not privileged enough to attend the Cape Town International Jazz Festival also share in the two nights of Africa’s most prestigious jazz event.

Good Hope FM is the main sponsor of the free community concert at Green Market Square on 29 March. The station will also provide MCs for the concert and will broadcast live from the venue from 15:00 to 16:00. Good Hope FM will also conduct interviews with various artists who will be performing at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival and have live broadcasts from the festival on Friday, 30 March (19:00 to 2:00) and Saturday, 31 March (18:00 to 2:00).

SAFM will cover the CTIJF by means of four live shows on Friday, 30 March and two shows on Saturday, 31 March. This SABC radio station will also erect a mock studio at Africa’s grandest gathering.

Metro FM’s urban jazz team will be collating and packaging content for their show, which will air on Sunday, 1 April. Metro FM presenters will be crossing live from the venue keeping listeners informed about the happenings. Metro FM will have interviews with various jazz musicians and listeners stand the chance to win tickets to the Cape Town International Jazz Festival.

Radio 2000 will have outside broadcasts from the venue on Friday, 30 March and Saturday, 31 March. The following programmes will bring listeners interviews with jazz musicians who will be performing at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival: Talk on 2000 with Thabiso Tema, One Night Stand with the King (David Mashabela ), The Urban Cruise with KG Moeketsi and co-host Eric Alan, and Positive Weekend Vibrations with Kenny Nkwashu.

Umhlobo Wenene will have live broadcasts of their weekend shows at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival on 30 and 31 March. Thobela FM’s presenters will also be crossing live from the venue and feature interviews with jazz artists. Thobela FM listeners stand a chance to win air tickets to Cape Town to attend the festival.

SABC2’s Morning Live will flight build-up content in support of the festival, during the week prior to the jazz festival. SABC3’s Top Billing will be featuring some of the big names performing at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, whilst Flash will be covering the celebrity scene in Cape Town before and after the festival.

Expresso will be hosting local and international artists in the week leading up to the event. On Wednesday, 28 March, Lindiwe Suttle and her band (all the way from Belgium) will give viewers a taste of what to expect at this year's Cape Town International Jazz Festival.

On Thursday, 29 March jazz saxophonist, Moreira Chonguica, and his band will perform a tribute to various legendary Mozambican musicians, as they pop by for a visit while in Cape Town for the international jazz festival.