Business of fashion and the business of cannabis take centre stage during Basha Uhuru Festival over the weekend 

By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor 

The annual Basha Uhuru Festival which took place at its Constitution Hill home attracted mainly young people whose ambition is to make it in business during a time when the evolution of technology favours those that are both IT and business savvy. 

Unlike in the past, when it was more difficult to succeed in business with several barriers hard to navigate, the new digital technology has in fact created an enabling environment open for exploitation by young and technology savvy entrepreneurs. For example, marketing through social media has proven to be a success for start-ups globally. All one needs to have to get their brand out there is a cell phone loaded with data. 

These marketing tips were shared by participants coming from a diverse pool of expertise, such as the fashion and cannabis sector, two business sectors that were part of this year’s Basha Uhuru Festival. 

I first attended the festival, on Thursday, June 26, 2025, and again on Friday, June 27, 2025.  

On Thursday, I attended a walkabout of an exhibition, which saw 16 young artists participate in this group exhibition, showcasing two art works each that they created during a two week printmaking workshop, organised and facilitated by The Art Company Soweto. 

Then on Friday, I attended two sessions, led by a panel of experts, the Business of Fashion session facilitated by businesswomen and actress Sophie Ndaba during which a panel comprising successful fashion entrepreneurs shared their experiences in their businesses, and a Cannabis Business session that again saw experts share their journeys of success in their respective areas of expertise. 

In each of the two sectors it was interesting to note that there are actual successful entrepreneurs, whose journeys to commercial success are narratives worth repeating widely, especially in the context of an economy that is growing at a painfully slow rate and unemployment among the ranks of the youth is wide spread. 

And so this year Basha Uhuru Festival was a success in especially as far as the business aspects of it are concerned, simply because the discussions that took place, particularly the Business of Fashion and the Cannabis Business were more than a talk-shop, but sessions that gave practical advice to those interested in pursuing business opportunities in those two business sectors.