The Cape Philharmonic Orchestra will be honouring 20 years of donkey rescue with a special concert in September.
Robertson, Western Cape (20 August 2025) – Twenty years ago, a handful of animal lovers planted the seeds for something special in the Breede River Valley. A place where donkeys, often overlooked and all too often mistreated, could find real care.
Today, Eseltjiesrus Donkey Sanctuary shows just how much can change when people refuse to look away.
Now, the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra is joining the celebration, marking two decades of donkey rescue with a concert at Ooskerk in Robertson on Sunday, 14 September. It’ll be a full-hearted show of support for every long-eared friend that’s ever found a home at Eseltjiesrus. The last event of this kind was hosted back in 2023.
The sanctuary, just outside McGregor, has grown into a safe place for donkeys who need love and care where they can safely recover from injury, old age, or tough times. It’s also growing awareness and education through workshops for donkey welfare workers across South Africa, all approved by the South African Veterinary Council.
And the help goes far beyond the sanctuary’s fences. Insights from Eseltjiesrus now reach veterinarians and animal welfare workers in 22 African countries through ‘Donkeys for Africa’, a resource portal that’s published 47 newsletters packed with guidance on care, disease, nutrition, and more.
The event in September will see the iconic 55-member Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra perform ‘Music for Everyone’ at Oos-Kerk in Robertson, a diary highlight for the entire Breede River-Langeberg region.
Tickets cost R180 for adults and R90 for students, affordable for a world-class orchestra. Tickets can be found at Tourism Offices in Montagu, Robertson, and McGregor; in Worcester at the Durban Street Animal Clinic (Dr. Gerhard de Wet); or by emailing adopt@donkeysanctuary.co.za.
If you can’t make the show, you can still spread some joy by sponsoring tickets for people who might otherwise miss out – kids from orphanages, residents of nursing homes, local choirs and music students. Just email the above address to do so.
And for a little extra heart, check out David Kramer’s song “Donkiehemel,” written for the Eseltjiesrus donkeys.
https://youtu.be/9Z-xA4s9RMc
Sources: Supplied
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