Artists enraged over huge perfomance fee

Members of Limpopo Arts and Culture Youth Forum (Lacyf) have expressed anger at the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture for allegedly paying American performer Joe Thomas R1,6 million to perform at the recent Mapungubwe Jazz Festival.
Lacyf spokesperson Romeo Ramuada said they were baffled by the department’s alleged payment of such a large amount of money to Thomas while local artists were compromised and paid a mere
R10 000 to perform at the festival.
Ramuada stated that quotations submitted by some members of the forum to service provider T. Musicman where reduced to R10 000 per artist, group or choir without communication to the artists in question.
“Most of Limpopo artists performed without being paid a deposit or their full amount while other artists from outside the province and America where paid deposits or full payment on time,” Ramuada said.
He also mentioned that groups consisting of more than 20 artists who participated in the cultural carnival were paid R12 000 inclusive of transport and refreshments while T.Musicman provided them with takeaway meals meant for children which they said cost R3 000.
“This does not contribute to job creation that the sector should be doing. Limpopo Government undermines local talent. Artists are job creators, and have families to support,” Ramuada said.
Responding to the grievances, Spokesperson for the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture Malesela Ramaoka said Joe Thomas was a paid a well deserved amount of R1,2 million. Referring to the forum’s response as “the baseless or spurious claim that the forum clings to, that Thomas was paid R1,6 million,” he stated that certain facts laid bare by the festival have not been challenged by the forum itself. “Artists were paid proportionate to what they offered and what is available resource-wise. We can’t pay beyond what we have. All artists are paid according to the terms and conditions of the contracts they agreed to. The forum came late into the picture and as I am speaking all artists were paid on 17 December,” Ramaoka said.
He also mentioned that meals were provided according to specifications and no kiddies’ meals were ordered. “But it is a shame that when the department wants to improve on the festival people would want to draw us back and stone-age the festival and let it lose its mass appeal. We owe it to the people of this province to provide a top notch festival and for that we will be unstoppable.
“A lot of artists were sourced from the province and beyond the forum itself. The department’s mandate is beyond that of the forum and that to assist our artists to perform even beyond. I am sure the artists’ forum is not saying that for example Cassper Nyovest, Black Coffee and Judith Sephuma should confine themselves to Bokone-Bophirima, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo respectively and not reach international stardom as they already have. We can’t confine an artist to his birthplace. If he has international appeal it is a plus for him and the country, hence as part of the diplomatic corps we have cultural attaché in all countries in recognition of arts and culture as a vital cog in the diplomatic sphere, strengthening international relations and fostering international social cohesion especially with the people of the diaspora,” Ramaoka said.
He also added that they want the Mapungubwe Festival to surpass Standard Bank Joy of Jazz and Cape Town Jazz Festival and that can be done with the quality of artists and line-up we secure for the event. A festival of this magnitude should not only be defined by artists but also by what the revellers want,” Ramaoka concluded.

Photo: Herbert Rachuene
>>herbert@mailbox.co.za

Photo: Members of the Limpopo Arts and Culture Youth Forum during their protest action at Polokwane Cricket grounds in December.