Artists take to the streets in protest over funding
CAPE Town artists, creatives and performers will take to the streets in artistic protest in solidarity with artists across the country in the protest against mismanagement of funds meant to assist the entertainment industry.
A protest is set to take place at the Artscape Plaza and forms part of larger ongoing action: a sit-in at the National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC) offices in Newtown, Johannesburg.
Several artists have occupied the NAC offices since March 3 over the misappropriation and slow dispersion of relief funding meant for artists in the form of the Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme (Pesp).
The NAC manages the distribution of the Pesp amounting to R300 million, on behalf of the national Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.
NAC chief executive Rosemary Mangope and chief financial officer Clifton Changfoot have been suspended pending an investigation.
Opera singer Sibongile Mngoma, leading the peaceful sit-in, said there were around 20 artists sitting in at the offices.
A meeting was held on Friday with Minister Nathi Mthethwa, which Mngoma said had been pointless owing to the minister’s ill-preparedness. The process of relief fund distribution should have been completed around mid-January, said Mngoma.
“We are asking to see proof of payment. Who has been paid, how much and for which project, because we keep getting numbers of approved people, but in terms of actual payment where funds have been spent, nothing.
“The payment process has been slow, so it looks suspicious, like funds are gone.
“While we are here, we are asking other questions about (other) relief funding as well, because we have a case of people or an agency that has a track record of being corrupt and maladministration and they keep getting funds to disperse – a process done unsuccessfully for the past 20 years.”
Artists will gather from 1-3pm with performances from local dancers, singers, actors, musicians, poets, puppeteers, actors, visual artists and crafters.
“In late 2020, a Pesp of R300m was announced for disbursement via the NAC. The package was focused on employment creation and retention initiatives for artists, creatives, cultural and heritage sector workers.
“Applications were called for, assessed and the first grant recipients had contracts sent to them, and in some cases funds disbursed to them.
“The NAC then reassessed the situation and made the unilateral decision to recall or revise contracts and cut initially allocated funding amounts to artists, many of whom had leapt into action and were already working on the projects that had been funded,” read the statement from protest organisers.