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Now that the dust has settled, politicians have begun bickering. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), led by Julias Malema, have released a statement criticising the Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture’s (DSAC) for its alleged failure to financially assist artists and also mentioning the Limpopo-born artist Makhadzi as a recent example of this neglect.
The EFF claims that the DSAC did not adequately support artists during the COVID-19 pandemic and recently failed to support Makhadzi on her trip to the United States of America to receive the BET award for Best New International Act.
Prior to the EFF’s statement, the department, now under the leadership of Gayton McKenzie, issued a statement on Tuesday refuting allegations that it failed to support Makhadzi in her recent trip.
The statement reads, “DSAC strongly rejects the assertion that it has not supported Makhadzi. Over the past 14 months, Makhadzi has been booked by DSAC to perform in several national engagements, receiving as much as 230 000 rand.”
However, Makhadzi herself contradicted the department’s claims in a media statement released on Wednesday. She clarified that she “has never received or applied for any funding from DSAC in the past 14 months” and further stated that all payments made by the department to Makhadzi were for services rendered, not funding.
To cut through the air, the DSAC released a 90-page document listing beneficiaries who received financial support from the department between 2020 and 2021. The document, which can be accessed here, reveals that more than R70 million was disbursed to artists and athletes during that period.
The publication of this document has sparked public surprise and controversy over the names listed as beneficiaries.
