Nonceba Khontsiwe The Eastern Cape department of sports, recreation, arts and culture, which has a budget of R3.2bn over the medium term, has failed spectacularly in its mandate of supporting the largely rural province’s young creatives trying to break into the music, TV and filmmaking industries with dogged determination. 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 t
