Art crafters blame department for lack of support, funds

ART crafters based in Bronkhorstspruit – Sokhulumi and Ekangala Tshwane – are frustrated that they are yet to showcase their products on the market.

The crafters recruited under the Gauteng Department of Sports, Art, Culture and Recreation are also not happy with the equipment, safety precautions and stipends at their respective hubs.

According to the 2019/2020 third quarterly report, the department said it had supported the Sokhulumi hub with new shelves to display finished embroidery products, beads and painting to produce Ndebele craft products by four women.

Ekangala was supported with new tables, chairs, beads and painting to produce Ndebele craft products.

An artist from one of the creative hubs said the department had been dragging its feet with assisting them with equipment.

“The beads, paints, brushes and needles we received from the department are not enough for us to complete our projects, which has really slowed down our progress,” she said.

The artist added that they still hadn’t visited any market to display their products since they began in 2018.

The artist also revealed that their stipend had been cut.

“The contracts we signed indicate that we must earn a stipend of R3 500, but we only receive R2 000 because we are told that the other R1 500 is deducted to buy our material.

“But the material is not fully available and we still need to chase them to deliver it.”

The Gauteng provincial legislature portfolio committee led by chairperson William Matsheke undertook an unannounced oversight visit to both the creative hubs late last month where they allegedly discovered that the hubs were not fully supported by the department. “When the committee arrived at the two hubs there was nothing that indicated hubs or support provided by the department,” Matsheke said.

The chairperson said that at the Sokhulumi hub there was no beneficiary on sight and the rooms were locked with long grass around them.

“We did find beneficiaries at Ekangala, and they voiced out their dissatisfaction with the department stating that they had only received two tables, 10 chairs, seven beads packets and seven buckets of paints since 2018.”

Matsheke said the committee had since notified the Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation MEC Mbali Hlophe on their findings, and she promised to investigate the matter. Meanwhile, the committee will continue with their oversight visit to the other hubs in Gauteng.

Hlophe’s spokesperson, Nomazwe Ntlokwana, confirmed that the department had received complaints on the conditions of the mentioned hubs, and that they were in a general state of disrepair.

“Crafters have complained about neglect and inadequacy of resources. Efforts are under way to improve the department’s offering to these hubs.”

Ntlokwana said the department was acutely aware that the assistance it provided to these hubs could be improved.

“The department has currently ceased its reconfiguration and restructure to devolve more services to hubs and corridors. An audit of all hubs is under way to determine the state of all hubs and to identify the interventions necessary to improve our offering,” she said.

With regards to the stipends offered to the artists, Ntlokwana said the department had applied to the Treasury for the increase of these stipends to match the national minimum wage.