Why Eastern Cape is failing its artists
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| Nonceba Khontsiwe |
This despite its stated mission being to develop these sectors for purported “upliftment of the people of the Eastern Cape”.
The province’s biggest exports are its boxing champions and afro-pop stars such as Ringo Madlingozi, Vusi Nova, Nkosinathi “Nathi” Mankayi, Amanda Black, the Jaziel Brothers, the Bala Brothers and the late Zahara, to name but a few.
The department’s sheer failure is seen in the arguably little support it lends to the sector, such that many artists - known and yet to be known - are forced to trek to Johannesburg – the country’s arts mecca – for a chance at a record deal or to audition for film and TV roles.
It therefore took me by surprise that the provincial department effectively watched by as the Multichoice-owned Mzansi Magic announced it was canning the popular telenovela, Gqeberha: The Empire, after two seasons due to alleged low viewership.
Gqeberha, which aired its first episode in January 2021, is no exception though. The same fate befell Tsha Tsha which tackled issues pertaining to HIV/Aids and their impact on young people. The drama series boasted stars such as Brenda Ngxoli, Hlomla Dandala, Sisanda Henna, Siphiwe Mtshali and (the late Noxolo Mashaqalala and Nomhle Nkonyeni) – may their souls rest in peace.
If the Eastern Cape arts and culture department were really serious about exposing and supporting the province’s experienced pool of creatives, it would not have allowed these platforms to up and go. It would not have spared a cent in convincing these production houses to stay put in the province.
The sports, recreation, arts and culture MEC Nonceba Khontsiwe would have allocated more resources towards the cause and see to it that more Dandalas, Ngxolis and Hennas are produced, mentored and given opportunities in their own backyards.
After all, millions of rands are lost to corruption, fraud, and wasteful, irregular, fruitless and unauthorised expenditure every single year, because, well you guessed it, the comrades and their families, girlfriends, boyfriends, ice boys and hangers on must eat.
And it doesn’t help that the Home of Legends, as the Eastern Cape is affectionately called, has a deficit of R2.5bn in its budget of R92.8bn for the 2024/25 financial year.
It is heartbreaking that Gqeberha is coming to an end in a province where the unemployment rate sits at 41%, while the expanded definition is 49.1%. I shudder to think about all the jobs that are on the chopping block: from the cast members, interns, catering company, production crews/consultants, contractors, etc.
In his budget speech on March 12, the bespectacled Eastern Cape finance MEC Mlungisi Mvoko waxed lyrical about the creatives industry and the role it could play in reviving economic growth.
“Speaker," he said, without blinking an eyelid, "the provincial economic development strategy that is under review is considering including the film and creatives industry as one of the key sectors of the Eastern Cape economy. This is due to the rapid emergence of the sector in supporting economic growth and job creation in the province.
“The R39m worth of financial support that government injected to the industry in the current term of administration, through the Film Investment Fund, has positioned the Eastern Cape province as a preferred destination for hosting local, national and international film productions.”
The support to film projects contributes to the growth of the film industry, “realising significant multiplier economic impact and investment”, Mvoko said.
“For 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years, the provincial government is allocating R24m to ECDC [Eastern Cape Development Corporation] to fund, support and revitalise the film industry. We are very intentional in these efforts because we want to see local talent, young people who have passion and love for film, growing to become film ambassadors in the Eastern Cape and beyond.”
See why I don’t trust politicians? They say one thing and do the opposite. To Mvoko and his colleagues in the provincial cabinet, including Khontsiwe: You could have started with Gqeberha! That was your golden opportunity to showcase what you really mean. But politicians, by their very own nature, like making promises they can't keep.
Let's look at the case of 047, an award-winning boy band from Mthatha, which was discovered by the equally award-winning Vusi Nova years back. It is talented but needs more support and resources to really set it among the best in showbiz. Vusi Nova can only do so much. He discovered the band and brought it into the limelight.
All that the provincial government needed to do was give them wings to fly and be the wind beneath their wings. It failed. If not, then clearly it's support did not matter much.
OK, forget the Eastern Cape a bit and look at how established and professionalised the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) creative industry is. Apparently the support the provincial government gives to the sector is the stuff of legend.
In its annual performance plan for 2024/25, the KZN Film Commission, which is aimed at promoting the province as a global destination for film production, says: “The fact that leading productions Uzalo, Imbewu and Durban Gen are KZN-brewed shows the potential that the province has as a film destination. Furthermore, KZN Film managed to place interns on these productions so that they get post-tertiary training and experience the industry needs.”
The commission is an entity of the department of economic development, tourism and environmental affairs. It has been hailed as a “game changer” in terms of growing the provincial economy, with international and local productions including Faith like Potatoes, Mandela, Blood Diamond, I dreamed of Africa, Durban Gen, Uzalo, and Imbewu, among others, shot in KZN.
“This resulted in job creation and most of the local SMMEs benefiting from such production shooting in the province. We will continue to aggressively attract larger international productions to make use of our amazing locations,” the commission says.
“KZN Film has since its inception, further facilitated the development of four local film festivals: uMgungundlovu, Ugu, Amajuba, and Kwasukasukela, while continuing to support established film festivals. Film festivals act as catalysts for economic growth and contribute to social cohesion and enrichment.”
This kind of support has benefited KZN creatives a great deal such that it has become common for them to post on social media that they do not need to relocate to Joburg to for economic opportunities, boasting that they only come to Jozi Maboneng for gigs, and after the bag’s firmly secured in place, return to their province.
Now, picture award-winning songstress Siphokazi Maraqana only coming to eGoli for gigs without relocating from her Lusikisiki home for the big city lights. It’s possible and KZN has shown us so by blazing the trail.
The Eastern Cape government could learn a lot from their KZN counterparts. The distance from Bhisho – Eastern Cape’s provincial capital – to Pietermaritzburg is less than 600km. Khontsiwe and her departmental charges could embark on a working visit to KZN's capital of Pietermaritzburg to share notes on what the province is doing right when it comes to its artists and the broader creative economy.
Showbiz is big business, after all. The global creative economy, which the United Nations Economist Network refers to as the orange economy, is worth a whopping $2-trillion. That’s a cool R35-trillion.
If those irritating bureaucrats in Bhisho were concerned about extracting as little as 1% (R350bn) of that R35-trillion – I know it’s a pie in the sky, but think about it - they would liberally remove the bottlenecks and harness all resources, personnel, and strategists to unearth and give real support to all creative talent in the province, instead of goofing off and scratching their balls, or asking: "What's in it for me?"
Now, picture award-winning songstress Siphokazi Maraqana only coming to eGoli for gigs without relocating from her Lusikisiki home for the big city lights. It’s possible and KZN has shown us so by blazing the trail.
The Eastern Cape government could learn a lot from their KZN counterparts. The distance from Bhisho – Eastern Cape’s provincial capital – to Pietermaritzburg is less than 600km. Khontsiwe and her departmental charges could embark on a working visit to KZN's capital of Pietermaritzburg to share notes on what the province is doing right when it comes to its artists and the broader creative economy.
Showbiz is big business, after all. The global creative economy, which the United Nations Economist Network refers to as the orange economy, is worth a whopping $2-trillion. That’s a cool R35-trillion.
If those irritating bureaucrats in Bhisho were concerned about extracting as little as 1% (R350bn) of that R35-trillion – I know it’s a pie in the sky, but think about it - they would liberally remove the bottlenecks and harness all resources, personnel, and strategists to unearth and give real support to all creative talent in the province, instead of goofing off and scratching their balls, or asking: "What's in it for me?"
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