POLOKWANE – The annual Mapungubwe Arts Festival, known as the ‘melting pots of African cultures’ was held over the weekend but an incident which took place on Saturday evening at the Peter Mokaba Stadium has marred the celebrations.
Allegations of tribalism have surfaced against Arts an Culture MEC, Thandi Moraka after she allegedly grabbed the microphone from legendary Tsonga musician, Dr Thomas Chauke while he was performing.
Chauke has expressed his disappointment and said what happened during his performance was an embarrassment. “When I was supposed to perform my second song, a group of people came on stage and stopped my performance, because according to them, the MEC wanted to speak. I told my fans that I will resume my performance after the dignitaries finished,” said Chauke.
He said that he asked them to allow him to play two more songs. “Within a minute from when I started the intro of Roza, they stopped me again. I complained to the stage manager, but he told me that it was on instruction from the MEC. How can the MEC come to the stage and interrupt my performance? Why did they not say what they wanted to say before my performance? This did not sit well with me. I was told to get off the stage only for another artist to ascend and perform while I was waiting on the sideline,” he said.
Spokesperson for the Department, Lucky Tshilimandila said that all the artists did not perform in their allocated time slots. “We apologise to Chauke and all the other artists who were upset because of the time allocated to them. The event was supposed to start at 10:00 but only started at 16:00, which meant that we had to cut time so that all the artists could perform,” Tshilimandila explained.
Read more: Limpopo MEC denies grabbing mic from Thomas Chauke, complaining Tsonga music too ‘noisy’
He responded to the accusation that this is not the first time that the MEC has been accused of tribalism. “If you look at these accusation there is no proof. Chauke did not say that the MEC uttered any tribalism words. The person who wrote that the MEC said that Tsonga people are stupid, is the same person who said that the MEC said she does not like Tsonga music, because it is too loud and hurts her ears. This is someone who is trying to tarnish the image of the MEC,” he said.
Khindlimuka Heritage Foundation President, Gift Maswanganye said that the MEC grabbed the microphone from Chauke while he performed on stage in full view of the audience.
“The MEC was heard saying that this machangani (lekwapa music) is hurting her eardrums. The crowd was left in shock and Chauke was subsequently asked to leave the stage while his fans cheered for his comeback,” said Maswanganye.
S.A. Human Rights Commission Provincial Manager, Victor Mavhidula confirmed two cases of tribalism against Moraka, but for two other incidents. “The one complaint was laid by an employee of the department while the other complaint was made by the owner of Xilumani Bus Company, who said he was insulted when he requested the department to pay him for transport he provided to them. We have not yet received a complaint regarding the Chauke incident,” Mavhidula said.
Yvonne Chaka Chaka said she received similar treatment during her performance which was meant to start at 20: 25. “I told the stage manager at 21: 25 that I must get onto the stage because my contract says 20:25 to 21: 10. I sang three songs when my music director told me that they said this is my last song. The stage manager started to pull out the wires of my keyboard, forcing me to leave the stage. I was very angry. I went to ask the stage manager what was going on, and he said that I was suppose to perform for 30 minutes, but my contract states that I would perform for 45 minutes,” Chaka Chaka said.
Chaka Chaka said she will not perform at the festival again. “The festival always runs late and it is terrible what happened to Chauke and even the other artists. It is not suppose to be like this,” she said.
Review phoned Donald Mashato, stage manager at Daily Double, who said that he informed Chaka Chaka that she will only perform 20 minutes but that she went beyond her allotted time. Mashata added that the keyboard was not plugged out as Chaka Chaka suggests.
