Afrobiza Music Festival Brings Dlala Thukzin and Oskido to Maracanã Sandton
About this event
Afrobiza Music Festival closes its 2026 run at Maracanã in Sandton, Johannesburg on Saturday 12 December, with doors at 13:00 and the music running through to 03:00 the next morning. Dlala Thukzin and Oskido top the bill, and early bird tickets start at R99 on Howler.
- Date and time: Saturday 12 December 2026, 13:00 to 03:00 on 13 December
- Venue: Maracanã, 58 Wierda Rd E, Wierda Valley, Sandton, Johannesburg
- Lineup: Dlala Thukzin and Oskido
- Tickets: from R99 early bird general access, R200 VIP, R399 backstage
- Where to buy: Howler
The lineup and what to expect
The booking stays close to the genre’s South African roots. Dlala Thukzin has become one of the country’s most in-demand producers off the back of his gqom-tinged afro house, while Oskido brings three decades of SA dance history to the deck. The bill was only locked in late September after a tease on the festival’s socials, so further names could still land.
Previous editions carried full sets from Thakzin, Black Motion, Stallion and Mobi Dixon on the festival’s own channel, which gives a clear picture of the booking policy: afro house and afrotech from the artists who built the genre here rather than visiting internationals. The Sandton date closes a 2026 series that stops at Hartbeespoort first, where the Legacy on the Dam edition runs earlier in the season.
The setting does a lot of the selling. Maracanã is built around white-washed villas and beach club styling with splash pools, so the Ibiza reference in the name is literal. Expect a 14-hour session from afternoon sun into the early hours, with cocktails, food on site and pools to cool off in between sets. If you want more Oskido this summer, his Big Day Out at Huddle Park lands in the same window.
Tickets and table bookings
Early bird pricing is live on Howler and nothing has sold out on the general tiers yet.
- General access early bird: R99, full access to the main stage, bars and festival zones
- VIP early bird: R200, private entrance, exclusive VIP bar and restroom facilities
- Backstage pass early bird: R399, access behind the DJ booth and the on-stage view
- Table seating: R400 to R600 for 3, 4 or 6 pax, VIP tickets required, entry not included
- Buy tickets: Afrobiza Music Festival on Howler
Table bookings carry two conditions. You need a VIP ticket to reserve one, and every table group must arrive before 18:00 or the table gets released. The 3-pax metal high rise cocktail table at R400 is already booked out, so the seating options are moving faster than general admission.
Getting there and the day’s rules
The venue sits on Wierda Road East in Wierda Valley, right in Sandton’s commercial core. The Gautrain runs directly to Sandton from OR Tambo and Pretoria, making this one of the easiest festival sites in Johannesburg to reach without driving. Secure parking is available on site, VIP holders get gated parking close to the entrance, and general parking is first come first serve with street options around it.
It’s strictly no under 21s. No outside drinks, hubbly or weapons are allowed since everything is sold inside. The dress code leans stylish rather than strict, and bring a towel if you plan on using the splash pools. Mid-December in Johannesburg means high summer with a real chance of an afternoon thunderstorm, so plan for the 13:00 to sunset window.
The date slots into a packed Jozi summer. Mayonie Open Air brings Zakes Bantwini and local dance acts to Constitution Hill on 29 November, two weeks before Afrobiza lands, and our Mayonie Open Air listing has the details.
If afro house in summer sun is your thing, this is the last major shot at the genre’s homegrown names before the year turns. Early bird tiers are the ones to target given how quickly tables have moved. Grab yours on Howler and keep the 12th free.
