The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to personally intervene in the crisis unfolding at the National Arts Council (NAC).
DA Shadow Minister for Sports, Arts and Culture Tsepo Mhlongo says it has been more than 40 days since artists began a sit-in at the offices of the NAC in Johannesburg in an attempt to get answers about the R300 million in relief funding promised to them.
Mhlongo says government’s irrational lockdown regulations have caused many people employed in the industry to lose their income.
He says he hopes Ramaphosa will heed their request and personally engage the artists.
Association says artists are struggling
Chairperson of the Music Publishing Association of South Africa David Alexander says local musicians are struggling to make ends meet and are desperate for an intervention. The association works to safeguard music publishers and engages with government to ensure artists receive adequate compensation.
Artists across the country have been battling to stay afloat with the impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Alexander says many artists could be forced to turn their backs on the industry.
“I think it’s facing a crisis; I think there are a lot of professionals in the industry that are considering alternative careers. Many are already working doing other jobs, whether they are driving or waiting tables or doing handyman work. I think the longer the COVID-19 crisis continues, the more people will leave the creative industry because there isn’t the support from government for the industry.”
Earlier, it was reported that the COVID-19 pandemic caught many industries off guard, and forced those in the creative sector to do things differently. For months live events and social gatherings were halted, which meant no income for artists who rely on live performances as their main stream of income. Most of them slowly moved their craft to digital platforms.
Small and developing companies depending on events, social gatherings and concerts were hit hard. Gatherings of large groups of people were prohibited for entertainment purposes. However, CEO of Tencent Africa Brett Loubser says the move to digital has been growing steadily.
