This as the group of disgruntled artists who are represented by the Cultural & Creative Industries Federation of South Africa (CCIFSA) rejected Northern Cape Premier Zamani Saul and Arts and Culture MEC Desery Fienies’ proposal aimed at addressing their demands last week Friday (19 March). 

Spokesperson for the Provincial Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, Conrad Fortune, did not elaborate on the details of the proposal but confirms to OFM News that the artists were unhappy with it and are as a result continuing with their demonstration. 

The group has been at the departmental headquarters since last week Monday, demanding access to the R4 million promised to them by Saul in his 2020 State of the Province Address.

In February 2020, Saul announced that R4 million was to be set aside for the “operationalisation of a theatre, as well as the establishment of a music and craft hub” in the province. However, in March 2020, South Africa went into lockdown level 5 and the projects were halted. Fortune says even though the National Arts and Culture Department – led by Nathi Mthethwa – availed a Covid-19 relief fund for artists, they as a provincial department realised not all the artists in the Northern Cape would benefit from the national fund, so they created a provincial relief fund, utilising the R4 million that was set aside for the aforementioned projects. 

Added to the existing challenges, the Northern Cape Sports, Arts and Culture Department faced a R69 million and R41 million budgetary cut over the course of 2020 and 2021 respectively. This has left them reliant on the money that was set aside for relief. 

The spokesperson says at present, this department can only offer artists R1 million for relief. “This has not sat well with the artists,” explains Fortune.
 
It is alleged one of the artists collapsed on Thursday (18 March) from the lack of food, a rumour that Fortune confirms vaguely, telling OFM News there was “a situation with one of the ladies”, but emergency medical personnel were on the ground and the situation was resolved. "The sit-in has not affected the department’s day-to-day operations that much, this is because the bulk of the employees are working remotely due to the Covid-19 pandemic."
 
Meanwhile, the national leadership of CCIFSA have pledged their solidarity with protesting Northern Cape artists. The controversial CCIFSA Secretary-General Ayanda Roda, and Free State provincial coordinator Mbuyiselo Nqodi, last week paid a visit to the Kimberley-based team, to show their support for the cause.  

Roda and Nqodi form part of a sit-in at the Performing Arts Centre of the Free State in Bloemfontein.  

 
OFM News