Musicians in the eye of party political storm

THE dawn of a democratic order in South Africa necessitated a switch from liberation politics to multiparty politics. This change affected almost all spheres of South African life, including the music scene.

In the past, the primary goal of political activities was to dislodge the common enemy that was apartheid. Music was integral to the liberation effort.

The message was clear. Legends such as Miriam Makeba and Jonas Gwangwa vociferously spoke out against apartheid while in exile.

Local greats such as Stimela, Chicco Twala and Brenda Fassie’s music contained covert antiapartheid sentiments.

But when politics inevitably led to intra-party politics, the mismanagement of the process of shifting focus to internal party matters gave rise to splinter camps. Cadre deployment became the unashamed policy of the ruling party the ANC.

The music fraternity suddenly realised that the government, through its hosts, was becoming one of the biggest promoters of live music performances.

Its financial support for major music festivals such as the Joy of Jazz, or its role in staging free concerts during important calendar days, has established its role as one of the primary sources of performance opportunities.

It provided a livelihood for musicians whose income depended more on live performances.

But what began as a genuine opportunity gradually became the bane of the music industry. Events companies, which previously enjoyed some autonomy, began to compete for government contracts. The alleged role played by a company called the Creative Collective in staging the inauguration of Thabo Mbeki for his second term as president at the Union Buildings in 2005 was a sign of the times.

It left many sidelined artists worried. The collective included musicians such as Hugh Masekela and Gwangwa. Whereas I sympathise with the ideals of the current political dispensation, it remains my contention that erosion of artistic freedom is diabolical.