TO Freddy Nyathela, the road travelled by local black music technicians is less a road than an obstacle course. Founder and head of Sara (South African Roadies Association), a union established in 1992 for technical crews from disadvantaged communities, Nyathela has taken on the Ministry of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, the Standard Bank National Arts Festival organisers, music promoters, Sun International and international stars to develop training opportunities for technical crews in the industry. But he has had little joy.
After the 1994 Actag conference to determine our future arts and culture policy, Sara submitted a proposal to the ministry. Yet the recently released draft White Paper on Arts and Culture makes not even a cursory reference to music technicians, let alone their concerns.
“There is all this talk about building art centres and promoting development,” says Nyathela, “but every cultural sector is heavily dependent on technology. It’s time that the technical side was given its due, the importance of technical training in the arts acknowledged and treated as a priority.”
Long before this year’s Grahamstown Festival took place, Nyathela contacted the organisers asking for 10 Sara members to participate in the festivities. But despite compliance with the organising committee’s requirements, Sara’s application was rejected. At the time, festival administration manager Harry Moss claimed that the sponsors had rejected Sara’s application. Standard Bank denies this.
And last month, Sara vented its frustrations on international tour promoters by toyi-toying outside the Standard Bank Arena during a performance by The Manhattans, after the promoters refused to allow Sara members to learn from the group’s technical team.
“There appears to be a general reluctance to give learning opportunities to disadvantaged technical crews in South Africa,” says Irish musician Keith Donalds, recently in South Africa “on a fact- finding mission” on behalf of the Agency for Personnel Services Overseas, which spearheads the struggle of roadies in Ireland. “In Ireland colleges and training facilities have been established to equip roadies with technical knowledge. As a result, Dublin is becoming a centre of creativity.”
But the pendulum might swing in Sara’s favour. In July, Sun City’s entertainment manager promised the union that Sun would provide four Sara members with accommodation, meals, transport and workshop opportunities, each time Sun City hosts an overseas act.