On 27 April, the historic bullpen Loftus Versfeld was transformed for a celebration of a different agrarian nature as Mopane’s Oesdag rocked the D-Field. The event was an opportunity for Mopane and the wider student community to celebrateMopane’s harvest of the maize field which lies adjacent to the residence. With a musical pedigree which carried headline acts Die Heuwels Fantasties, Riaan Benadé, and Timo ODV, the concert drew well over a thousand attendees, who could also look forward to a trip into the main Loftus grandstand for the Vodacom Bulls’ pummelling of the Ospreys in the 15th round of the United Rugby Championships.
The current chairperson of Mopane,Tsepo Ponoane, explained that the festival is a culmination of a year of farming and guarding the maize, which is donated to charity upon harvest. For Ponoane the celebration is not just for the harvest but also an opportunity for Mopane to share “a piece of who [they] are with the community”. This is a sentiment shared by Rudolph Cilliers, Mopane’s internal projects house committee member, who sees Oesdag as a celebration that goes beyond the day itself and extends into the “opportunity to give back to the community”.
The festival had humble beginnings 14 years ago as a simple party for the Mopane residents alongside the maize during its harvest. This event grew in a short span of time into what is now Oesdag – in its 12th annual year – one of the biggest events on a UP student’s social calendar. 
Mingling amongst the crowds were peppies (Mopane first years), residents of Mopane, members of the wider Pretoria student community, and alumni. For the Mopane alumni in particular, it was a unique opportunity to reconnect with a residence and family they were once proud members of. Dumi Ngwenya, chairperson of 2022, explained, “[Oesdag is the] place where all the boys get together. It’s a great vibe, great people, and it’s nice seeing students having a great time.”
As the basslines, guitars, and vocals of the musical acts blended with the unmistakable Tshwane air following a Vodacom Bulls win, it was clear that the residence and student culture at UP is far from a crop failure but is instead thriving regardless of conditions.
[Picture Supplied: @jpegs.by.jacob]
