Ntsiki Mazwai pens open letter to Fikile Mbalula

The open letter and subsequent tiff on Twitter started after Mbalula sent a tweet to American singer Beyoncé.

“Mr Minister….sir….as a local artist, your obsession with Beyonce is killing me, [sic]” Mazwai said in the open letter.

She went on to criticise the minister’s apparent preference for international artists, calling him a “groupy”.

“It sickens me that you are willing to pay 100s of thousands to American artists who already have an established industry and are basically leeching off other countries owing to greed…while you can’t pay our artist even 50 000, [sic]” the singer said.

Mazwai also added that Mbalula’s “attitude” towards local artists concerned her.

“It concerns me that you are teaching the people you lead, to idolise Americans, when our country has such rich talent, [sic]” she wrote.

Mbalula yesterday struck back at the scathing letter in a series of tweets accusing Mazwai of lying and being frivolous.

https://twitter.com/MbalulaFikile/status/546636932764422144

https://twitter.com/MbalulaFikile/status/546641069195415552

https://twitter.com/MbalulaFikile/status/546656825081610240

https://twitter.com/MbalulaFikile/status/546653704112570369

While some twitter users rallied behind Mazwai, others were more critical of the letter.

@ntsikimazwai Your letter was,(still is) on point. We have great musicians,we need them! Mr #MinisterofBeyonce disappoints!

— Ntokozo Mjwara (@bob_41408) December 21, 2014

@ntsikimazwai You are one brave woman.
What you have published is true. Africans should have faith in fellow Africans. America my foot!

— Vapopya 1.0 (@Vapopya1) December 21, 2014

I really enjoy the open letter by Ntsiki Mazwai to the minister of sports Fikile Mbalula truth its hard to chew then swallow#support local!

— BabakaNokwanda noJR (@GcwalaSiya) December 22, 2014

https://twitter.com/TumeloSakkie/status/546770859588067328

Loved how Ntsiki said she has no time 4 @MbalulaFikile but she wrote him an open letter, how pathetic @ILoveMornings @mzokoloko

— ♥ Thandah ♥ (@thandah_gumede) December 22, 2014

Ntsiki Mazwai's open letter to Mbalula was kinda disappointing. While she pokes at a few good points, her attack on his way of dressing?!

— Khuuuulumankho (@Chulu16) December 22, 2014

The controversial and outspoken Ntsiki Mazwai has in the past expressed her opinions through open letters.

In March, she wrote a letter to the ANC, criticising the party and in September penned an open letter to white South Africans.