When the SABC genuflected in the direction of the apartheid government it invented the term “black on black violence” to propagandise the notion that much of the upheaval in the country was the result of black people fighting each other. There was never any mention of “white on black violence”. “Black on white violence” was known by the term “terrorism”, while “white on white violence” was commonly referred to as “rugby”.
Ten years into our democracy, in reflecting on the state of transformation in the arts and culture sector, the term “black on black violence” made a mental comeback. The reason is that a number of black managers in some of the country’s publicly funded institutions are the subject of disciplinary investigations instigated by black-run boards.
Professor Caesar Ndlovu and three colleagues at the Playhouse Company have been suspended by the board chaired by councillor Mina Lesoma. Walter Chakela, CEO of the Windybrow Centre for the Arts, was suspended in February by the board chaired by Mr Moss Leoka and has, in fact, just been fired. The National Arts Council’s CEO, Doreen Nteta, was suspended last November by the board chaired by Dr Gomolemo Mokae.
Some would applaud this and say it is a reflection of how far we have come in 10 years, as “race” no longer matters when it comes to taking action when there is suspicion of wrongdoing. This may well be true, but we still do not know whether those suspended are crooks or bad managers.
If they have abused their positions to enrich themselves with public funds, they should get their comeuppance. If, however, they are bad managers, it raises questions about whether we are providing those whom we appoint to senior positions with the support and training they need to sustain transformation in the long term, or whether we are setting them up for failure.
After the post-1994 debacles at the black-run State Theatre, Christopher Seabrooke was appointed chairperson of the board and Michael Lovegrove the CEO. Steven Sack has replaced Maishe Maponya as director of arts, culture and heritage services for the City of Johannesburg. David Janks is the acting CEO of the National Arts Council. All white men.
Again, some would applaud this and say it is a sign of our progress that we are appointing “the right person” irrespective of colour, rather than “the best black person” for the job. This may have an element of truth, but the replacement of black managers with white managers so soon into the country’s advance from its apartheid era helps to reinforce racist and Afro-pessimistic notions that black people cannot govern or are prone to corruption. That this notion may be facilitated by black people acting against other black people is deeply ironic, with the transformation agenda often being undermined by those who project themselves as its chief proponents.
And while this is happening we have to ask: where are the black festival directors, the black museum managers and gallery curators? Where are the black arts journalists, publicists and marketers? Where are the black researchers, event managers and educators in our tertiary training institutions? And where is the vision, the plan and the strategies to produce these on the critical mass necessary to sustain transformation in the long term and to develop new and build on existing, acceptable notions of excellence? Thus far, it has been a case of hit (with the National Film and Video Foundation being one of too few examples of effective, black-run institutions) and mostly miss.
It is morally correct, politically imperative and strategically necessary that the country’s racial, class and gender demographics and interests be reflected in the governance, production, management, education, distribution, technical and marketing aspects of the arts and culture sector. To get there we need vision, leadership and passion.