Artistic freedom must respect the right to human dignity
The government is committed to promoting genuine cultural diversity
IHAVE followed Mary Corrigall’s coverage of the arts and her portrayal of relations between the state and the sector as strained (“Festival takes a stab at state from safe place”, Cape Argus, July 2) for over a year. Some may have expressed concern or interpreted her slant as promotion of an adversarial stance and what borders on opposition to every artistic initiative supported by the government. She has a right to her opinion.
But her continued portrayal of the government, especially the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC), as anti-freedom of expression in the artistic and media sector needs to be challenged.
We do this knowing that our right to respond may easily be misconstrued as a threat to freedom of expression.
It is part of diversity of opinions and culture of debate.
Thus, let us make it very clear that the legislative mandate of the DAC is to promote, protect and preserve artistic freedom of expression.
For us, the National Arts Festival remains the nucleus of promoting nation building and social cohesion.
Significantly, it takes place as part of the 21st Years of Freedom celebrations and maturation of democracy.
There is no doubt that the festival continues to bring together artists from different backgrounds, races, classes and cultures to express and celebrate our unity in diversity. This has taken the country forward.
Also, it attracts audiences from all corners of our country, the African continent and all over the world.
The story of how it came about is from the shameful historical pages of our conflicted, divisive, colonial and racist past.
But the arts have, in many instances, always been an instrument of unity, peace and bringing our diverse people together to build one human family in one country. This is what we encourage and celebrate.
Significantly, we can look back at the last four decades of the festival as laying the foundation for the non-racial, non-sexist and democratic society that we have been blessed with in the last 21 years.
The arts, culture and heritage sector have always attracted critical voices, pioneers and visionaries who have been at the forefront of articulating the aspirations and hopes for a better world where we can all live together as brothers and sisters in one united country.
These include satirists, choreographers, dancers, producers, directors, film-makers, actors, singers, writers, thinkers, philosophers, designers and an endless host others behind the scenes. As we celebrate 21 years of freedom, we salute them for their self-sacrifice, passion and commitment to nourish the soul of this nation.
These are legends who have helped to take this country forward.
At the same time, we mark the 41 years of the festival and look forward to artists and the festival continuing to promote nation-building and social cohesion for many more.
As the government, we believe the arts, culture and heritage sector has a crucial role to play in contributing to the fight against unemployment through job creation, creating opportunities and promoting economic independence and selfreliance for artists.
Above all, we believe that the festival and sector in general have a pivotal role to play in the promotion of constitutional values. This includes Section 16 in its totality, without any preconditions.
We also see the sector as helping us in the redefinition of a common overarching national identity, promoting the transformation agenda that will restore the dignity of Africans who were degraded and dehumanised under apartheid.
The arts, without succumbing to any pressure, must continue to inspire confidence, pride and hope for a brighter future for all our people in the country and continent.
In fact, we believe it is the arts sector’s role to inspire active citizenry and leadership that will see the people become agents of the change they want to see to take the country forward.
What we cannot forget is that the arts and culture sector and the media have contributed immensely towards the spectacular victory over the awfulness of apartheid.
It is for this reason that we have encouraged and supported the launch of the Cultural and Creative Industries Federation of South Africa, among others. The aim has always been to empower artists to take their fate and future into their own hands and not to create a sweetheart organisation.
Significantly, none will be more articulate and possess more credibility and integrity so indispensable than our artists and their organisation to refine our 2030 Vision as defined and articulated in the National Development Plan.
We wish to shatter the myth perpetuated by Corrigall that the DAC wants to reduce artists to puppets and government propagandists.
Instead, we renew our call to artists to continue to be the voice of conscience in society.
They must express themselves freely to challenge and fight economic inequality, dispossession, prejudice and discrimination and any threat to constitutional values where it exists.
Artists must raise their voices to call for a nonracial, non-sexist and democratic society characterised by true justice and equality.
It remains our common vision to promote a new life experience based on the values and principles enshrined in our world-renowned constitution. This is what will take us forward to the society we want to be.
The right to freedom of expression is not absolute. It must be exercised with responsibility to treat everyone – irrespective of status, rank or position – with respect and dignity. In fact, the right to human dignity is non-derogable.
Freedom of expression is not above anyone’s dignity, irrespective of their position or rank in life.
The constitution states that everyone has the inherent right to dignity for no other reason than that they are human beings.
The last 41 years of the festival that lie behind us and the 21 years of freedom and democracy that we celebrate this year are significant milestones in our journey towards Vision 2030. They have helped lay the foundation for the society we want.
Let us move forward with pride, self-love, care and commitment as Africans to ensure that the arts culture and heritage sector – as epitomised by this festival – continue to build an active citizenry for an inclusive society.
It is none but ourselves who have to create the just and equal society that we wish to live in.
We wish for artists to continue to play a leading role in national discourse. They must continue to mainstream debate on the meaning of freedom of expression and explore ways to reconcile it with the inalienable right to dignity.
This debate will help to take our society forward.
Nathi Mthethwa is the Minister of Arts and Culture.
ARTISTS MUST CONTINUE TO DEBATE ON THE MEANING OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND EXPLORE WAYS TO RECONCILE IT WITH THE INALIENABLE RIGHT TO DIGNITY ENSHRINED IN OUR CONSTITUTION