Mzwakhe Mbuli Open Letter: We care about artists, says Department of Sport, Arts and Culture in response

By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture is disputing the allegations  that the government does not care about artists’ welfare under Covid-19 difficulties and that President Cyril Ramaphosa is neglecting responding adequately to the plight of the artists.

In a media statement in response to an Opel Letter that appeared in mainstream media outlets on Wednesday, in which veteran musician and poet Mzwakhe Mbuli accuses the government of not caring about the artists, DSAC argues that that is incorrect, giving an example of the funding that they say they advanced to Mbuli, funding his various projects to the tune of R12 million in recent years.

Some artists are however arguing that being funded does not mean that artists must not speak out where they see injustice, and in any case, the money they get for funding projects is not offered as a favour but they deserve the money anyway, as these are public funds earmarked for the creative sector.

Among other charges, Mbuli in his letter says that President Ramaphosa has been snubbing artists who wanted to meet him, a claim DSAC says is not true, in a media stamen released yesterday. He also accuses the President of keeping quiet about allegations of bribes that he claimed artists have to pay at the public broadcaster the SABC, for their music to be played.

“Your stoic silence is loud. Artists have all wanted to meet with you, but all in vain. Since  the introduction of the lockdown Mr. President, you have never met the artists,” Mbuli charges in his open letter.

The Presidency has not responded to the open letter, but DSAC did yesterday.

“On Tuesday 5 October 2021, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) noted an article titled “Mbuli slams Ramaphosa regarding artists’ plight”, where Mr Mzwakhe Mbuli alleges amongst other things, that the Government does not care about the plight of artists, that artists are being defrauded. Mr Mbuli further goes on to accuse the President of being inactive in dealing with these matters.

This statement is devoid of any truth and is rather disingenuous of Mr Mbuli. Sadly, he has also jumped on the bandwagon of others who, despite support they have received in the past, continue to feed the public with misrepresentations that are not backed up by publicly available and verifiable facts. The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, led by Minister Nathi Mthethwa has, through various initiatives, supported the sector. We have consistently emphasised the fact that the available funds could never be sufficient to support each and every artist.

We are a caring Government. Mr Mbuli is living testimony of this. For the past 5 years, DSAC has supported Mr Mbuli financially to the tune of R12 Million for various projects. Through the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme (PESP), the President has ensured that artists have received R272 Million out of R285 Million meant for artists, precisely because the President understands the importance of the creative sector. The last 4% is being finalised through applications that are currently being processed by the National Arts Council (NAC).

While we empathise with the plight of artists in the country due to the devastating impact of COVID-19, particularly on the sport, arts and culture sector, we implore practitioners to be balanced in their representation of the Government and the role that the Government has played during this difficult time.

In the final analysis, we remain open for genuine engagement with the sector. We are focused on finding economic recovery and reconstruction solutions of the sector and we appeal to all role players to focus their energies positively in this direction,” DSAC statement reads.

These latest developments are taking place against the background of disgruntlement by artists against government as a result of the scandal that followed the chaotic disbursement of the Presidential Economic Stimulus Package (PESP) fund meant for artists by the National Arts Council  A forensic report commissioned by the NAC and initiated by DSAC following artists’ complaints points fingers to some NAC council members and senior management for wrong doing. Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa, accompanied by NAC Chairperson Princess Celinhle  Dlamini more than a week ago, briefed the media about the findings of the forensic report, but stopped short of releasing the full report. The implicated NAC members, two of whom are still with the council and three of whom have since left, will face consequences for their improprieties, according to Mthethwa. The implicated individuals however remain unnamed.

Meanwhile, a group of artists known as Abahlali Movement Drive, yesterday protested at MaryFitzgerald Square in Newtown, accusing the ruling ANC party of only using artists during elections to campaign, but then abandoning them “like used condoms” thereafter. Among those who protested yesterday included soprano Sibongile Mngoma and kwaito kingpin Eugene Mthethwa.

South Africa goes to the polls on November 1, 2021 for Local Government Elections.