SA makes second bid for world’s biggest braai on Heritage Day

South Africa will try again to claim the Guinness World Record for the largest simultaneous braai on Heritage Day. Organisers from supermarket group Big Save plan to gather 3 000 people around 500 braais at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on 24 September.

How the second attempt will differ

Last year’s South African attempt did not succeed because many of the 2 412 participants were not at their braais when officials counted, allowing Japan with 2 220 people recorded at their barbecue stations to hold the record. Big Save organiser Dylan Jardim said “We need to do things differently this year if we want to break the record.”

To ensure compliance, organisers will use stewards described by Jardim as effectively “braai cops” and will have the 500 custom-made braais lit beforehand. Jardim said meat will already be waiting at the braais so participants have “no reason for them to leave.” Each custom braai can accommodate six people.

Event details

According to Jardim, the braai section will open at 10:00 and the official Guinness World Record attempt will start at 10:30 on Heritage Day, 24 September. He said there are still some tickets left for the event.

From marketing idea to cultural moment

Jardim said he conceived the idea three years ago as a way to create a buzz for the brand after seeing the existing record for most people grilling simultaneously was about 2 200. He described the attempt as having grown beyond marketing into a big cultural moment.

“It’s frustrating, because this is not how South Africans do a braai,” Jardim said. “The whole purpose of a braai is socialising, so we did it the way we do it, but that’s not how they wanted it.”

What organisers expect

Big Save expects 3 000 South Africans to take part in the attempt at Loftus Versfeld.