Artists march to union buildings over collapse of arts funding

IOL News

15-05-2025

Scores of artists, cultural workers, creative entrepreneurs, and citizens marched to Sechaba House, the Department of Arts and Culture on Wednesday to hand over a memorandum of demands.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
President Cyril Ramaphosa, through his office, has confirmed having received a memorandum of demands made by a group of artists, who, on Wednesday marched to Union Buildings and the offices of the Department of Sports Arts and Culture, in Tshwane seeking the President's intervention over the collapse of institutions that fund the arts.
On Wednesday, scores of South African artists, musicians, and representatives of arts organisations took their complaints against the country's department of sports, arts and culture to the union buildings, accusing the ministry of systematically failing them.
At the centre of the cries by these practitioners is the alleged collapse of various funding institutions meant to benefit the country's arts, crafts, music and film industries.
On Wednesday, these artists marched under the banner of the Cultural and Creative Industries Campaign, where they also accused the state and particularly Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie and officials of corruption and the total destruction of the art sector's funding institutions.
Scores of artists, cultural workers, creative entrepreneurs, and citizens march to the Department of Arts and Culture to hand over a memorandum of demands.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
"The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture is no longer fit for purpose. Programmes are stalled. Funding pipelines have collapsed. Institutions are being run by individuals with no demonstratable knowledge, credibility, or commitment to the creative industries and are compromised. The Ministerial conduct has prioritised political optics over public service," reads part of the group's memorandum.
Speaking on behalf of the artists, African Transformation Movement spokesperson, Zama Ntshona indicated that the march to the union building has been weeks in the making.
The protest forms part of a National Day of Protest and performance, reflecting months of dissatisfaction in the sector.
'As the cultural and creative practitioners, we have taken our grievances to the office of the president and met with Vincent Magwenya, " said Ntshona.
Music industry activist, Tebogo Sithathu accused the minister of prioritising Formula One at the expense of local artists, among other things.
Attempts to get comment from the department were unsuccessful at the time of going to print. Meanwhile, presidential spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya confirmed receipt of the memorandum and indicated that the office of the president will process these demands and refer the matter to the department for implementation of the necessary intervention.
"Yes, the office of the President has received the memorandum which will be processed and referred to the department of Arts and Culture for consideration," said Magwenya.
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