Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation in Free State takes another “L” as festivals are postponed

Kenyan scholar Professor PLO Lumumba once said.

“In Africa, the shortest route to ilgotten wealth is political leadership. If you want to get wealth without working for it at all join political leadership. That’s the truth in Africa.”

This quote comes to mind following reports that Free State Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation has postponed the unveiling of Albertina Sisulu citing procurement “matters” this, after the expose Step Up Sa News ran over R1 000 000,00 splurge on the unveiling of the Fezile Dabi statue with a company hand picked by MEC Limakatso Mahasa thus not following supply chain processes and gross interference.

The event was held in Parys, hosted by the Premier of the province Sefora Ntombela and MEC of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation Limakatso Mahasa. A memorial lecture was held on Thursday and the unveiling of the statue followed on Friday with statue not mounted and pictures are circulating on social media calling the unveiling a joke.

Step Up Sa News has established with the postponement of unveiling Albertina Sisulu statue which was supposed to be on the 23 October, the department embarked on R8 million district festivals starting this week to safe the situation only for districts to put brakes as they are not ready for this weekend.

Sources say the committee comprising of department’s acting Chief Director Corporate Service, Tankiso Zola, Chief Director Arts, Vincent Khetha, Manager in MEC’s office, Bongo Nazo, Director Security Services, Lerato Lengau and Deputy Director Kgoitsimang Pholo went to Thabo Mofutsanyane District and met artists and snubbed District officials.

According the plan devised on Monday seen by this publication Thabo Mofutsanyane and Fezile Dabi were supposed to have their festival from 21-23 October 2021.

A source from Thabo Mofutsanyane said they had a plan.

“We had a plan to have the festival on the 19-20 November 2021. We were in head office on Tuesday and heard department officials are meeting artists in Qwaqwa without us. We knew nothing. Officials told artists to call us and ask us if we put them in the program.”

“Now we dont know what commitments were made to those artists but you cant drive all the way from Bloemfontein to Qwaqwa, worse by seniors and not inform your district. One of officials once called us useless.” he concluded.

In an urgent virtual meeting last night Fezile Dabi and Thabo Mofutsanyane districts told officials they cant host festivals withinshort notice.

Step Up Sa News called Myra who is in charge of Mangaung District and she confirmed Thaba Nchu will be the host for Mangaung.

“We are hosting our festival from 26-28 November 2021, we chose Thaba Nchu because everything is happening Mangaung is in Bloem so people of Thaba Nchu and Botshabeo deserve these opportunities especially vendors.”

Asked if she can hold the festival within days she said.

“No we cant, we need to give supply chain enough time to procure goods.”

A source who spoke on condition of anonymity said only event management companies will profit.

“The only person who gets rich in the district festival is the owner of the event management company. He deducts his 15% handling fee, then the 15% vat and what remains goes to goods and services for the event.”

According to sources the budgeted amount for all districts is R8 million and MEC Limakatso Mahasa want to bypass supply chain processes and there is resistance from acting HOD Kutlwano Tlhakudi and Chief Director Arts Khetha as they refuse to sign the project due to lack of compliance.

Last week we reported how SACR splurged R1 million to unveil a statue in Parys.

SACR spokesperson, Tankiso Zola did not respond to our questions.