Rubber bullets fired without warning at artists’ protest
Masilela had just told members of the crowd that they will not move from the government’s premises until the MEC, Lindiwe Ntshalintshali, comes to receives their memorandum.
What was meant to be a peaceful protest by provincial artists turned into a nightmare when police randomly fired rubber bullets at them. Mpumalanga artists had wanted to hand over a memorandum of grievances to the Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation (DCSR). Included in the memorandum was the issue of being sidelined by the department. They demanded 90 per cent representation in DCSR events. . 
This happened at the Mpumalanga Government Complex’s buildings on November 26. A Lowvelder journalist sustained a bullet wound to the lower parts of her body after she was shot at close range with rubber bullets while hiding under a bakkie. A total of 14 protesters were also injured. The journalist opened a case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm against the police.
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The leader of the march, Dumsane Masilela, and 10 other artists, including two female artists, were arrested. They briefly appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Friday facing charges of public violence. They were all released on a warning. The matter was postponed to January 22 next year. This comes after Mpumalanga SAPS randomly fired rubber bullets at artists, journalists and supporters without giving them any warning. On the day in question Masilela was addressing the crowd, standing on top of a bakkie with other artists, when suddenly the police fired shots. He had just told members of the crowd that they will not move from the government’s premises until the MEC, Lindiwe Ntshalintshali, comes to receives their memorandum.
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“This department does not listen to our views, they treats us as if we are stepdaughters and stepsons in our province. We are here to submit the memorandum to the MEC. We don’t want to hand it over to anyone else except her. We are not sure if she is aware of the corruption happening in her department,” said Masilela.
“We are not giving this memorandum to anyone else, neither Shaka, the HOD nor any officials except for the MEC,” he said. Masilela accused department officials of being corrupt and not considering developing artists from the province. “We are in a revolution and this is revolution 20. We are not afraid of change, and we are not afraid of power because we understand our generational mandate which is economic freedom. What we need, comrades, is money. How can the department take money from the province to give to national artists,” he said. 
Mthokozisi Nkosi, known as DJ Chief, said, “The march included every artist including choreographers, photographers, performing arts, film and music production. Our main concern is that the department doesn’t consider using artists from the province. Instead they outsource artists from other provinces.” 
Alpheus Nhlabathi, chairperson of the Mpumalanga Creative Workers Union of South Africa, supported the march. “We were there to support the initiative taken by the youth as they raised issues affecting artists. On previous occasions we had imbizos and summit with the department to discuss issues. All the resolutions taken from those previous meetings were never implemented instead they do their thing without the voice of the artists. All they have to do is listen to what the artists are saying and their proposals,” he said.
