March against Playhouse called off – for now

ZANDILE Gumede, the ANC eThekwini regional chairman, and members from the provincial arts and culture department, “begged” local artists not to march against the Playhouse Company and promised to attend to their grievances.

Local actor Bongumusa Shabalala said for this reason they would hold back their protest which was planned for Tuesday. Shabalala said he was acting on behalf of 3 000 aggrieved artists.

“We have been engaging with the chairman of the eThekwini region and we have talked to our concerned artists and came out with one voice to put the march on hold. If they don’t meet our demands after the two planned meetings, we are going on the road,” said Shabalala.

Brothers Bongumusa and Musawenkosi Shabalala head Umsindo Theatre Projects based in uMlazi. Together hey had mobilised local arts practitioners and planned to march against Playhouse chief executive and artistic director Linda Bukhosini who they accused of nepotism and maladministration.

“We are unhappy that Linda holds two senior positions and is using her artistic director position to prevent local artists from using the Playhouse, but those days will soon be over,” said Shabalala.

Linda Bukhosini said her comments remained the same. She previously told the Sunday Tribune that she was confident that she was serving the arts community and accused the Shabalala brothers of being used by the people who had been passed over for the position of artistic director.

This week, Shabalala said artists had been unhappy with Playhouse management for a long time but that he was now ready to come forward.