Cape Town
Mobile hospitality reimagined — food, refreshment, and unforgettable celebration in one self-driving vintage icon.
Mission Statement
To create memorable celebrations through distinctive mobile hospitality that brings food, refreshment service, and event coordination together in one seamless system. At the heart of The Thirsty Wagon™ is a beautifully restored 1975 VW Jurgens Autovilla — combining vintage character with thoughtful service to make meaningful celebrations accessible to every budget.
Vision Statement
To grow The Thirsty Wagon™ into one of South Africa's most recognised and trusted mobile celebration brands, known for authentic experiences, dependable service, and the distinctive character of our vintage mobile hospitality. As we expand, we remain committed to thoughtful service, meaningful celebrations, and experiences that feel both personal and professionally delivered.
From a bar stool in Benoni to the vineyards of the Western Cape — this is how The Thirsty Wagon™ was born, built, and brought to Cape Town.
A new chapter has officially rolled into the Western Cape. The Thirsty Wagon™ has expanded into Cape Town — not as a start-up, but as the next evolution of an established brand.
Led by Leila and Jacques, the Cape Town venture delivers a fully integrated mobile solution — bringing on-site catering, professionally managed refreshment service, and structured coordination together in one self-contained system.
Over the years, The Thirsty Wagon™ has supported events serving thousands of guests across two provinces — establishing the operational systems, supplier networks, and scalable service frameworks that now underpin our Cape Town expansion.
At the centre of it all is a rare 1975 VW Jurgens Autovilla — one of only 1,000 ever built — restored and professionally converted into a fully operational mobile bar and catering vehicle. Heritage meets capability. Character meets structure.
Together, Jacques and Leila are the driving force behind The Thirsty Wagon™ Cape Town. As partners in life and business, they recognised an opportunity to introduce something truly distinctive to Cape Town's event landscape.
Leila is your first point of contact for all enquiries, quotes, logistics, and planning. She also founded and operates Diamond Carriage Travels, our sister company providing professional sober chauffeur services — because getting your guests home safely is just as important as the celebration itself.
Jacques Joubert, one of the founders of The Thirsty Wagon™, brings the heart behind the brand. This venture is his "5-to-9": a space where creativity, people, and purpose come together — ensuring every event feels personal, yet professionally executed at scale.
Bringing The Thirsty Wagon™ to Cape Town required more than relocation. It required commitment. The 1975 VW Jurgens Autovilla underwent a full restoration — twelve months of mechanical precision, structural reinforcement, and detailed craftsmanship, balancing vintage character with modern functionality.
Every panel, fitting, and component was considered. Vintage integrity preserved. Operational reliability strengthened. Today, she arrives not only as a restored icon, but as a self-driving, fully equipped mobile system capable of supporting events with efficiency, presence, and professionalism.
Before arriving in Cape Town, The Thirsty Wagon™ built its reputation across Gauteng — rooftop sessions, curated tastings, private celebrations, and public events established the operational backbone that now supports our expansion.
These years established scalable service systems, supplier partnerships, and event coordination frameworks. The Cape Town chapter stands firmly on that foundation.
In 2019, Jacques Joubert and James Jenkinson — JJ & JJ — were sitting at a bar in Benoni when an idea took shape. What if a mobile event experience could feel authentic, well-managed, and genuinely memorable?
That idea became The Thirsty Wagon™.
What began as a conversation grew into a recognised mobile celebration brand operating across two provinces. Today, Johannesburg continues under James's leadership, while Cape Town moves forward under Leila and Jacques.
The Thirsty Wagon™ Johannesburg continues to operate successfully under James's leadership, serving events across Gauteng with the same professionalism and care that built the brand's reputation.
Planning a wedding, corporate function, or private event in Cape Town or Somerset West? Let's bring the Wagon to you.
The ONLY mobile bar + food truck combined in one self-driving vehicle. No towing — just Skilpad arriving, ready to go.
One of only 1,000 VW Jurgens Autovillas ever built in South Africa. Rare, restored, road-legal, and impossible to replicate.
Our keg-based service eliminates hundreds of bottles per event. Great drinks, zero guilt, clean conscience.
Setup, service, and cleanup — all handled. You relax and enjoy. We run the show with professionalism that turns first-timers into loyalists.
Quality celebrations for every budget. No hidden costs, no surprises — from Somerset West gatherings to Franschhoek weddings.
Serving the whole Western Cape — Cape Town, the Helderberg, the Winelands, and beyond. We come to you.
Full Service.
Zero Landfill.
We don't do 9–5. We work when you celebrate. Every event is treated with care, every guest matters, and every celebration deserves to be remembered for the right reasons.
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