Inside Konka, Joburg’s buzziest venue for high rollers

IF YOU’VE been paying attention, you'll have noticed how over the past few weeks ’Konka’ has been trending at or close to the top every Monday and Tuesday.

So what is Konka and why does it keep appearing on our timelines? Why can’t people stop talking about Konka?

Konka Soweto is a restaurant and nightclub in Pimville, Soweto. The establishment, which was revamped and rebranded from the old Icon Soweto nightclub earlier this year, is believed to be owned by Kutlwano Pitso, the entrepreneur who owns another Soweto hangout spot, Moja Cafe.

A few weeks ago, as the lockdown restrictions started to be eased, videos began to emerge online of high-end luxury vehicles parked outside the establishment, and bottles upon bottles of expensive Champagne being ordered by patrons inside.

And the patrons themselves make sure they look the part. From designer clothes and accessories, to how wellgroomed they are, it’s clear that Konka appeals to a certain clientele, one that knows how important a healthy bank balance is.

In one viral video, a table was seen receiving 16 bottles of the exclusive Champagne brand Armand de Brignac (popularly known as Ace of Spades). The crowd reacted with loud cheers, as the sparklers illuminated the gold bottles of the Jay-Z and LVMH owned champagne brand.

However, Konka continues to court controversy. The extravagant spending at the establishment has sparked an ongoing debate about where all this money is coming from, especially during a pandemic which has seen many lose their jobs.

While many Twitter users have hit out at the reckless spending at the establishment and attributed it to alleged money laundering, Konka’s public relations manager Linda Moeketsi has hit back, defusing the allegations.

“The speculations on social media are disheartening as they have never been made for non-black-owned establishments who have been operating in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg for over 20 years. Black success should be celebrated and not questioned, and the most disappointing thing about it all is that it is always questioned by our fellow black brothers and sisters.”

In a few months, Konka has managed to build its brand as the ’must-beseen-at’ spot in Joburg. It also draws an increasing number of celebrities, who have because frequent patrons of the establishment.

Over the past few weeks, several of the country’s biggest artists have performed at Konka, including headline performances from the likes of AKA, Riky Rick, DJ Maphorisa, TKZee, DBN Gogo and Black Motion.