Umjindi’s Crafters come together at Craft Imbizo
Various crafters were provided with an open tent to exhibit their work. The Barberton museum, Umjindi Jewellery, painters Robert Mahlalela, Sophie Leshaba, Griffma Mhlanga and Rhina Malambe were among local crafters and artists whoexhibited their work.
Crafters from Umjindi and those from other parts of the province believe that the Craft Imbizo was the right platform for them to discuss tangible plans on how to grow their sector.
The Imbizo, which was the first of its kind in the country, was held last Tuesday at Barberton Town Hall.
Its objective was to afford crafters and artists in the province opportunities to interact with leaders to discuss issues affecting their businesses and how to grow it.
Among those in attendance was the deputy minister for arts and culture, Rejoice Mabudafhasi, MEC for finance, economic development and tourism, Mr Sikhumbuzo Eric Kholwane, MEC for culture, sports and recreation, Norah Mahlangu, Umjindi executive mayor councillor, Clr Lazaros Mashaba and some of his entourage of local councillors.
Most common issues raised by the crafters and artists during was lack of funding, access to information, access to viable markets and access to reasonably priced raw materials for craft production.
Kholwane said local crafters and artists could be assisted with funding by the provincial government.
He said government has created entities like Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA) to play a role in the growth and development of businesses like crafters and artists.
Kholwane said though MEGA was still in a process to reposition itself after being malfunctional, once it was fully operative, it would be able to assist struggling businesses.
MEC Mahlangu called for a reviewing of arts and culture structure in all the municipalities in the province. This was after several crafters and artists from various municipalities in the province complained that their municipalities were doing nothing to support them financially or providing them with structures to operate and exhibit their work.
“As a department we allocate municipal funds for arts and culture. As to where the money disappears to, I don’t know. We will have to review all the arts and culture structures in the province’s municipalities because it is clear that the funding is not used for what it’s intended. You can’t all complain about the same issue,” caution Mahlangu.
Various crafters were provided with an open tent to exhibit their work. The Barberton museum, Umjindi Jewellery, painters Robert Mahlalela, Sophie Leshaba, Griffma Mhlanga and Rhina Malambe were among local crafters and artists whoexhibited their work. Mabudafhasi said the craft sector has long been acknowledged as one of the important fields for socio-economic development and job creation in the country. “Despite this, many challenges still beset this sector. These challenges range from access to information and viable markets to access to reasonably priced raw materials for craft production as well as finance.”
She said the Department of arts and culture had thus implemented Mzansi Golden Economy (MGE), which aimed to enhance economic development and social cohesion in the country.
“The purpose of MGE is to make strategic investments to optimise the economic benefit of the arts in South Africa. By improving investment in key areas of the creative economy, it is anticipated that job creation and productivity will be enhanced and the sector’s global competitiveness will be increased,” she said.
