DJ Tira, born Mthokozi Khathi, has officially announced the end of an era as he shared a statement addressing the future of the annual FACT Durban Rocks event.
Taking to social media, the Afrotainment boss revealed that this year’s New Year’s Eve edition will be the final FACT Durban Rocks organised by the current team, with the brand set to be placed on sale in January 2026.
According to Tira, the decision follows months of public concern surrounding Durban’s early closing times for New Year’s Eve events. He explained that the team deliberately took time to monitor the situation before reaching a final conclusion.
“Since July, we have received many concerns about us closing early at midnight for NYE, and we understand those sentiments. We wanted to observe how the response would be regarding the New Year’s Eve closing times from the city before determining our next steps,” he said.
Reflecting on FACT’s journey, Tira highlighted the brand’s remarkable longevity, noting that the event has consistently run from 6pm to 6am twice a year since its launch in 2011.
He also pointed out FACT Durban Rocks’ resilience during challenging periods, describing it as the first brand to return after COVID-19 with two picnic-style events and the only one to host two outdoor broadcasts during that time.
This December marks the 30th edition of FACT Durban Rocks, a milestone Tira described as the perfect moment to step aside and allow new talent to take the brand forward.
“This New Year’s Eve will be the final event organised by the current partners. In January 2026, the FACT brand and its trademarks will be put up for sale,” he confirmed.
Tira went on to express heartfelt gratitude to fans, sponsors, and partners who supported the event for over a decade. He thanked the city, the province, partners such as SAB and Schweppes, and loyal attendees who showed up “through rain or shine” and embraced the late-night culture FACT became known for.
He closed the statement with an emotional message to the community that helped build FACT Durban Rocks into one of South Africa’s biggest year-end events.
“Thank you for being part of our journey. It has been an honour to serve this community of Fact Fans and hopefully we see you for one more time.”
The final FACT Durban Rocks will take place on 31 December, running from 2pm to 2am under the theme #OneLastFact.
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