[5][6] In 2006, controversial businessman Iqbal Survé's Sekunjalo took control of espAfrika, the company that hosts the festival.

This was part of an arrangement that came about as a result of the partnership between espAfrika (a South African events management company founded by Rashid Lombard) and Mojo Concerts BV, the founders of the Dutch North Sea Jazz Festival.

[11] In 2000, the North Sea Jazz Festival came to Cape Town, South Africa for the first time.

[9][13] In 2019, the festival was sponsored by Iqbal Survé's cash-strapped Independent Media as well as the Survé-controlled AYO Technology Solutions, which is accused of unfairly benefiting from the Public Investment Corporation which manages the Government Employees Pension Fund, after a R4.3 billion investment that is under investigation.

[18] Every year just before the main event, a free open-air concert with selected performers is held at the Greenmarket Square.