News24 | World’s Biggest Braai record attempt awaits verification from Guinness

Participants braai simultaneously at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria during the World’s Biggest Braai Guinness World Record attempt on Heritage Day.

Supplied/Big Save

• The World’s Biggest Braai at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Heritage Day recorded 2 436 participants, below the target of 3 000, with the lower turnout partly attributed to road closures for the Hola Half Marathon.
• Guinness World Records is reviewing the attempt after the adjudicator raised an issue with inconsistencies in steward forms, with organisers submitting additional evidence, including drone footage.
• Big Save’s head of marketing, Dylan Jardim, said participants followed instructions during the simultaneous braai, unlike last year’s failed attempt, and expects Guinness to respond within the next week.

The World’s Biggest Braai’s latest attempt to set a Guinness World Record is still awaiting final verification after 2 436 participants were counted through the turnstiles at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Heritage Day.

Big Save, which presented the event, said the record attempt was being reviewed by Guinness World Records after discrepancies were identified in some of the steward forms used during the official attempt.

The event on Thursday, 24 September, was aimed at bringing together 3 000 participants around 500 braais, with everyone required to braai simultaneously for five minutes while remaining at their allocated stations.

According to Big Save’s head of marketing, Dylan Jardim, the turnstile count recorded 2 436 participants in the official braai area.

However, the Guinness adjudicator raised concerns about inconsistencies in the forms completed by some stewards, including how participants were counted and recorded.

“The record attempt is still under final verification,” Jardim said.

He added:

The numbers counted through the turnstiles were 2 436; however, the adjudicator had an issue as there were a few strange discrepancies in the steward forms with how some of them filled out the forms, who they counted and so on.

Jardim said the turnstile figures were sound, but additional evidence would now be submitted to support the record attempt.

He said the organisers had spoken to the adjudicator on Friday morning and would work through the steward forms and speak to those who completed them.

Additional material, including drone footage, has also been approved for submission to Guinness World Records for consideration.

“The team at Guinness will review and get back to us within the next week or so,” Jardim said.

Crowds gather at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria for the World's Biggest Braai festival and concert on Heritage Day.

Supplied/Big Save

The 2 436 participants were below the event’s target of 3 000, with the organisers attributing the lower turnout in part to the Hola Half Marathon, which took place in Pretoria on the same day.

According to Jardim, road closures and traffic diversions associated with the race resulted in some people being rerouted or delayed and arriving after the official braai had started.

READ | World’s biggest braai? 3 000 South Africans to give record another go at Loftus

Despite this, the event drew a larger crowd later in the day for its festival and concert component.

“By the end of the festival we saw close to 4 000 people enter through the gates for the concert portion,” Jardim said.

The event’s five-minute record attempt also marked a change from last year’s unsuccessful attempt, when participants were counted, but some moved between braai stations during the official period.

That movement was significant because Guinness World Records requires participants to remain at their allocated stations for the duration of the attempt.

This year, Jardim said participants followed the instructions.

“Everyone was a dream this year. They knew their mission, and we all stood still for those five minutes, myself included,” Jardim said.

“The goal was clear, and we executed it flawlessly.”

The final decision on whether the attempt qualifies for the Guinness World Record will therefore depend on the verification process and the additional evidence submitted by the organisers.

While the record remains pending, Jardim described the atmosphere at Loftus as “electric” and said the event was intended to become an annual Heritage Day fixture.

“There really is nothing like it. Braai is so culturally significant in this country, regardless of your background, that it’s something we will continue to do year in and year out,” he said.

He added:

Celebrating this rainbow nation is something we are very passionate about.

Jardim said Big Save’s long-term goal was to establish the World’s Biggest Braai as a major annual Heritage Day event.