R41m for rocking Limpopo

The annual Mapungubwe Arts, Culture and Heritage Festival is a mere approximate six weeks away and already it holds the promise of a dropped bomb as concerned parties have started fixing attention to a tender of R41 million earmarked for execution of the provincial event over a period of three years.
In the past the annual festival has attracted much local media attention, which was mostly not all positive as local artists slammed the department for repeatedly sidelining them. While maintaining an element of secrecy about this year’s festival programme and venue, departmental spokesperson Kola Maila promised more built-in elements of excitement when approached for comment on matters of concern related to the organising, marketing, management and execution of a flagship event that has become a permanent fixture on Limpopo’s social calendar. Maila reserved the relevant information on the showcase until Tuesday’s scheduled media launch at Mapungubwe World Heritage Site.
At the time of going to press Maila indicated that preparations were about 95% complete. He didn’t want to reveal yet whether an international artist was included in the performance line-up, as was the case previous years when the festival attracted popular names in the music industry.
With reference to the tender of R40 947 357,76 having been adjudicated to Magula Promotions – located at 33 Uranus Street in Polokwane – Maila said one of the four individuals responsible for organising build-up activities and the actual event for the next three years, Munewa Mahumela was based in Limpopo.
By further tracing the links of the remaining three individuals responsible for organising the occasion – Joe Chakela, Reggy Zikalala and Moretlo Kabi – it repeatedly took Polokwane Observer to web articles on reported events and companies in the Free State.
According to information at Polokwane Observer’s disposal the service provider came in at the cheapest bid at a price much lower than Polokwane-based Martidox (Pty) Ltd at R56 436 849,06. Then followed a tender submitted by GY Promotions/Witch & Wizard from Giyani for R72 561 456,18 and Mahuma Group from Seshego for R127 434 767,48. The service provider would also be expected to include proposals for fundraising for the annual hosting of the event, it was learnt.
Maila justified the decision to give the tender to Magula Promotions by saying the department didn’t only settle for the cheapest tender but for content. The tender was performance-based and subject to criteria being met, he added. Income generation from activities on the programme was part of the package, he explained.
EFF in support of local artists
While local players question the ability of home-based events managers to organise an occurrence of such magnitude at such an exorbitant amount, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Limpopo raised alarm about the upcoming festival. In a recently issued media statement the party’s Provincial Command Team (PCT) branded the headhunting of a Free State-based organiser to manage the festival, only identified as a certain Ben, as exploitation and closing of doors for business by the African National Congress (ANC) government on Limpopo artists, whom they reckoned they have used during the local government elections to campaign and lobby for support for an overall win.
In the statement the EFF PCT indicated it was not in support of any individual artist or single promoter and was not a regionalist political party, but that it was fighting for local economic growth and development of upcoming artists and promoters in Limpopo. “The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture must stop zombifying our artists and promoters. Our local promoters deserve better.”
It continued to say the EFF was going to fight side by side with the promoters and artists to make sure that local talent was harnessed, empowered and recognised by the provincial government. They challenged the department to publicly prove the EFF wrong and give reasons why they got someone from another province on board. “We call upon all events managers and promoters of Limpopo to stand together and fight this evil act of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. We are pledging our unconditional support to them.”
Following up the matter with EFF Provincial Secretary Jossey Buthane, he could only provide a first name for the Free State-based events coordinator alleged to have been brought on board to organise the festival. He further said if the artists in Limpopo wanted to take action, the EFF would be in support of such action.
Local artists unite
South African Arts and Culture Youth Forum President Romeo Ramuada, who is also the Provincial Chairperson of Limpopo Arts and Culture Youth Forum, stressed that the department was neglecting their responsibility towards artists from the province, an issue raised during meetings and protest marches in the past. Annually local promoters tendered to organise the festival, but their tenders were overlooked and Limpopo’s artists sidelined, he stressed. They didn’t agree to an international artist performing at the festival, as it compromised local artists, he added.
They did not regard competitions that formed part of the Mapungubwe Festival build-up activities, as actual build-up programmes which were previously demanded by local artists who needed to be remunerated for their services rendered at such events. The build-ups were supposed to serve as mini-Mapungubwe Festivals to be attended by those who couldn’t make it to Polokwane, he explained.
If Limpopo artists felt they were still being neglected following an intended meeting with the department within the next week, they would re-group themselves to march and close down this year’s festival activities by mobilising artists across the five districts, political organisations and those supporting artists to march against what has become “a community matter affecting every citizen of the province”, he warned.
“The day the people of Limpopo wake up is the day we shut down this programme so that they realise how much public funds are wasted on friends and not empowering the relevant people of the province.”
They were very disappointed in Sport, Arts and Culture MEC Onicca Moloi who, despite having met with the forum in her capacity as former chairperson of the relevant Legislature portfolio committee, seemed not to understand their challenges, Ramuada stressed.
“We know very well they are not accountable to the people of the province. They are not being honest about the tender. We are tired of talking. They just take us for granted,” he concluded.

Story: YOLANDE NEL
>>observer.yolande@gmail.com