News24 | World’s biggest braai? 3 000 South Africans to give record another go at Loftus

South Africans will return to Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria this year to attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the world’s biggest braai.

Dylan Jardim/Supplied

• Thousands of South Africans will return to Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria to attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the world’s biggest braai.
• The attempt was not confirmed last year because everyone had too much fun and didn’t stand at their stations long enough for the adjudicators’ liking.
• Organisers hope the event becomes annual beyond the record attempt, and getting South Africans to stand still around a braai might be a record in itself.

This Heritage Day, the biggest South African hangout session yet is making a much-anticipated return for another shot at a Guinness World Record.

Every year on 24 September, South Africans celebrate Heritage Day, honouring the country’s diverse cultures. Among the many traditions that South Africa is known for is the braai, a social gathering where friends and family come together around an open fire to cook meat and share good conversation and laughter.

This year, thousands of South Africans are set to gather at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria yet again to take part in another attempt to host the world’s biggest braai and set a Guinness World Record.

In a statement, the head of marketing at Big Save, Dylan Jardim, said the goal is not only to compete on the huge global platform but also to celebrate South Africans and their unique way of coming together.

“The goal is obviously to put South Africa into the Guinness World Record books, but the bigger picture is thousands of people standing around 500 fires on Heritage Day and sharing in something that feels unmistakably South African,” said Jardim.

With about 3 000 participants expected, the event is set to bring the heat by showcasing not one but 500 braais – all their fires burning at the same time.

The first attempt took place last year at Loftus Versfeld Stadium and saw more than 2 400 participants in the official braai area, a number sufficient to surpass the existing Guinness World Record, set by Ishigaki City in Japan, where more than 2 200 people gathered in November 2023.

Even though South Africa’s number of participants surpassed Japan’s, there were other specific rules that participants needed to abide by, including that each participant had to remain at their allocated braai station for the full official record period.

“Anyone who has ever been to a braai knows that nobody really stands at one braai for very long,” said Jardim in the statement.

“You have a conversation, come back [and] before long the neat little groups that Guinness needs have become one big South African braai,” he said.

Among the many traditions that South Africa is known for, one that stands out is the braai.

Dylan Jardim/Supplied

According to Jardim, that same South African spirit made the day special but ultimately cost them the record.

Speaking to News24, Jardim explained what participants are required to do and how compliance will be monitored.

He said on the day, at 10:00 sharp, participants will have five minutes to braai a piece of wors at their allocated stations without leaving their areas for any reason.

Stewards, officials and a Guinness World Record adjudicator from London will monitor and verify compliance.

Jardim expressed that having 3 000 people around 500 fires at the same time on Heritage Day was a very special celebration of many cultures and traditions that make South Africa unique.

The first attempt to set the Guinness World Record took place last year at Loftus Versfeld Stadium and saw more than 2 400 participants. This year, about 3 000 participants are expected.

Dylan Jardim/Supplied

Jardim added that the braai, also known as “shisanyama,” is one of the rare things that many South Africans share.

“We would love for it to become an annual Heritage Day tradition [and] something that celebrates South African food, music, culture and community [beyond] the Guinness attempt.”

According to Jardim, they are better prepared this year as they know exactly what went wrong last year, and the rules are clear to everyone. He added that they are returning to the record attempt to finish what they started.

“Last year proved that getting South Africans to braai is easy. The difficult part is getting them to stand still while doing it [and] if we can get 3 000 South Africans not to wander away from their braai for five minutes, that might be a world record in itself,” said Jardim.