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- If your birthday month is around the corner and you’re cash strapped, don’t panic, various establishments in South Africa offer freebies to make your day special.
- This includes a free slice of cake at Mugg & Bean, a free dozen doughnuts at Krispy Kreme, a free ride on the Cape Wheel, free entry to the Galileo Open Air Cinema and more.
- We compiled a list of some of the places that offer birthday freebies in Cape Town, Joburg and Durban.
- For more stories, visit the Tech and Trends homepage.
Whether you're in the City of Gold, the Mother City, or Durbs, there's no shortage of free and exciting ways to celebrate your birthday and just have a good time.
From outdoor cinemas to scenic cable rides, South Africa's major cities offer a variety of options to make your special day unforgettable.
Here are some of the free things to get up to in Joburg, Cape Town and Durban during your birthday.
Cape Town:
Galileo Open Air Cinema
During your birthday week – which starts on a Monday and ends on a Sunday – The Galileo Open Air Cinema offers free tickets to watch a movie of your choice. You just have to show up with your ID and you’ll get free entry, which includes a backrest and a blanket.
If a show is sold out, the company will make provisions to honour the person celebrating their birthday.
Krispy Kreme
Satisfy your sweet tooth at Krispy Kreme where those celebrating their birthday can get a dozen original Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts if you sign up for the rewards app, but you must buy a dozen doughnuts and sign up for the rewards programme at least 48 hours before.
Cape Wheels
On their special day, birthday celebrants can get a free ride on The Cape Wheel provided they fill out a form on their birthday to receive a birthday voucher valid for 30 days. After receiving the emailed voucher, they will need to print it out and provide both the voucher and their ID at the ticket booth.
Table Mountain – Free Cableway Ticket
Table Mountain Aerial Cableway also launched an initiative called "Birthday Month" where someone celebrating their birthday can collect and redeem a free birthday Cableway ticket on any day of the calendar month in which their birthday falls.
The catch is, tickets are only available to South African citizens, and they will have to present a valid South African identity document on arrival.
Two Oceans Aquarium
Dive into a world of marine wonders with free entry to the Two Oceans Aquarium on your birthday or six days afterwards, available to South Africans only.
The birthday celebrant must collect their free birthday ticket from the Aquarium’s onsite ticket office. They will need to present valid proof of identification, and the offer is available to those aged 4 and older. Tickets cannot be collected in advance and should be used on the day of collection.
Joburg:
Ster-Kinekor
Movie lovers in Joburg or almost anywhere in South Africa can catch a free 2D or 3D movie at Ster-Kinekor to celebrate their special day. Grab some popcorn and enjoy a cinematic experience on the house.
Harties Cableway
Take your birthday celebrations to new heights with a free aerial cableway ticket at the Hartbeesport Cableway. All you need to do is bring a valid South African ID.
Mugg & Bean
On your birthday, Mugg & Bean is happy to spoil you with a cosy birthday treat. To sweeten your birthday, customers who download the Mugg & Bean app qualify for a free slice of cake. They’ll also be able to get a complimentary Easy Cappuccino just for downloading the app.
Durban:
Durban Botanical Garden
The Durban Botanic Garden, one of Africa’s surviving botanical gardens, offers free entrance to everyone. Visitors - and their friends and family - can get to celebrate their birthday in the serene beauty with a garden picnic.
