Giving it stick: Calitzdorp man attempts Guinness World Record for longest braai [Watch]

Man on fire: Gielie Basson aims to braai for 84 hours straight in his smoking-hot attempt to break the world record for the longest braai.

Calitzdorp’s Zamani Bar and Grill owner Gielie Basson already lit his braai fire at 5am on Thursday morning in his attempt to make the current 80-hour record for the longest braai go up in flames this Heritage Day weekend.

“I aim to grill at Zamani for 84 hours – until 3pm on 24 September. Jan Greeff, a South African who lived in the United States in 2014, is currently the record holder. I want to break his record,” a fired-up Basson told the Oudtshoorn Courant. 

WATCH: Calitzdorp man fired up for longest braai world record

Stoked Calitzdorp supporters have even put together a “Guinness World Record Survival Kit” of chips, energy drinks, chocolates and firelighters for the ambitious braaier.

Strictly come braaing: Fireside rules for GWR attempt

According to the rules for Guinness World Record (GWR) attempts, Basson must strictly braai on his own with no one else allowed to touch the wood, the braai, the meat or the equipment during the attempt.

“I may only turn the meat on the grill by hand and I may not use a folding grill. The meat must be cooked until edible and therefore must not come off the grill too raw or overcooked. One of the challenges is that the entire effort must be videotaped so that it can be sent to GWR as evidence. This translates into about 86 hours of continuous recording,” Basson explained.

The owner of Zamani – which is also known as “The Smallest Bar” on Route 62 – is not allowed to sell the meat for a profit.

Instead, he has donated the first batch of braai meat to emergency workers in Calitzdorp. He also plans to donate to Vygieshof, a local residential care home, and a soup kitchen in Bergsig.

Zamani Bar and Grill owner Gielie Basson is set on breaking the world record for the longest braai. Photo: Instagram @

Fireside invitation to GWR longest braai attempt

Basson extended a warm invitation to all “Calitzdorpers”, as well as visitors to the Klein Karoo town famous for its port wine industry, to make a turn at Zamani over the long weekend.

“People are invited to hang out at Zamani. There will also be live music. I ask that people come to Calitzdorp and stop by the GWR attempt, take pictures and post them on their social media so the whole world can know that Calitzdorp is not behind the bigger towns…because Calitzdorp is going to get the Guinness World Record!”

ALSO READ: 24 September: Is it Heritage Day, Braai Day or Shaka Day?

How Heritage Day became known as National Braai Day

Jan Scannell aka Jan Braai, the man behind the National Braai Day initiative, also wished Basson well.

According to the SA History, Jan Braai launched the Braai4Heritage organisation’s campaign to rebrand Heritage Day as National Braai Day in 2005.

In a 702 interview, the famous braai master had the following to say about his Braai Day vision:

“Braaing originated in South Africa 160 000 years ago. We invented cooking food on fires! The project to unite 53 million people around a fire is my life.”

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Desmond Tutu the patron of Braai Day: ‘Hierdie ding doen ons saam’

On 5 September 2007, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu was appointed as the patron of Braai Day:

“There are so many things that are pulling us apart and this has a wonderful potential to bring us all together,” Tutu is quoted as saying in an interview by SA History.

“What Jan had in mind with the Braai Day initiative, is nurturing and embracing a common South African culture.

“”We’re going to have this wonderful thing on the 24th of this month when we all gather round one fire. It’s a fantastic thing, a very simple idea. Irrespective of your politics, of your culture, of your race, of your whatever…hierdie ding doen ons saam [‘we do this thing together’]. Just South Africans doing one thing together, and recognising that we are a fantastic nation.”

The Citizen wishes Basson the best of luck in his Guinness World Record attempt for the longest braai. Give it flames, Gielie!

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