The year has been dominated by the amateur drama inside the National Arts Council (NAC). The storyline of abuse of power exceeded its local content quota requirement and was so unoriginal, that some left before interval. However, the stars of this ugly soap, who had cast themselves in the lead roles, had to be forced to leave the stage when the series was abruptly ended because of public boredom.
The Ben Ngubane I-Screwed-the- Arts Award: Goes to the executive committee of the NAC. All board members who were sacked get a “good riddance” certificate to remind them of their ignominious exit in case they are ever tempted to stand for public office again. They are also reminded to hand in their NAC tracksuits now that Team NAC has been disbanded. These will be replaced by “naked emperor” kaftans.
I-Screwed-the-Arts Award runner up: Still on the ugly awards, this one goes to the director of golf in the Department of Arts and Culture, Professor Itumeleng Mosala.
Like the professor before him, Musa Xulu, Mosala has been at the centre of numerous allegations from within his own department about irregular appointments of staff, liberal use of departmental resources for non-core activities, atrocious management and a lax work ethic that has compromised many projects.
Probably his biggest failing was to ignore repeated requests for an independent investigation into the allegations against the NAC staff on the one hand, and the NAC board on the other, raising the perception of collusion between himself and the NAC leadership that he had a hand in appointing.
Saddam-Hussein-Award-for-Monsters-Who-Turn-On-Their-Creators: Cited as a respondent in the court application against the sacking of the board, Mosala also gets this special accolade.
I-Screwed-the-Arts Award special mention: This one goes to the soprano star, Linda Bukhosini, and her one (and only) tenor partner Bongani Tembe. They brought a court case against Opera Africa to demand that their five-year-first-option claim to their original roles in the Princess Magogo opera be recognised, and threatened the State Theatre production of the opera, even though Tembe serves as a member of the State Theatre board.
He has been reappointed to this position, as he has been reappointed to his position as board member of the Playhouse, despite repeated concerns about real and potential conflicts of interest. Tembe heads up the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra (KZNPO), which rents space from the Playhouse, where Bukhosini was appointed artistic director. Soon afterwards senior management, who had resisted her appointment, were suspended and have now been fired.
Ngubane appointed an investigation into the Opera Africa affair, but the report and recommendations have been buried. Bukhosini and Tembe continue boldly along their merry publicly-funded path, their most recent jaunt being a trip to London with the KZNPO that cost an estimated R7-million. Bukhosini served on the NAC board, and was one of those fired by the new minister.
Happy families Award: Bukhosini and Tembe also get this one.
Really Ugly Award: This goes to the Grim Reaper who robbed our country of so many incredibly talented artists. These include musician Gito Baloi, filmmaker Dumisani Dlamini and choreographer Jackie Semela, who became crime statistics; Hal Shaper, Billy Prince, Sipho Gumede and Lionel Abrahams who succumbed to natural causes; Gibson Kente and Yfm’s DJ Khabzela Khaba who were claimed by HIV/Aids; Brenda Fassie who self-destructed; Tebogo Madingoane of Mafikizolo who was a victim of road rage; and Yfm DJ Iggy Smallz and jazz muso Eddie Jooste who did not arrive alive.
Black Multiple Empowerment Award: In this good and bad awards category, the big winner is Mbongeni Ngema. First he was part of the small, politically-connected “creative collective” that won the multi-million-rand contract — which was never advertised — to organise the inauguration of President Thabo Mbeki in May.
Then his Eighties musical, Sarafina! was selected and paid by publicly-funded theatres and the Department of Art and Culture to undertake a national tour to celebrate a decade of democracy. And most recently, Minister Pallo Jordan announced that Ngema and Jonas Gwangwa would be awarded an “eight-figure” sum (reminiscent of the R14-million spent on Sarafina! 2) to do a New Partnership for Africa’s Development-inspired musical.
We-Wuz-Robbed Award: Well done to the 20 or so top theatre and dance companies like Siwela Sonke, Jazzart and Phenduka, which could collectively run for a year if they were allocated an “eight-figure” sum, but whose three-year funding from the NAC has come to an end. All of which goes to show that where there is political will and connectivity, there is funding — and where there is none, there are retrenchments.
Comeback Kid Award: Goes to Mzwakhe Mbuli, who spent a few years as a reluctant missionary to the prisons. This award is not sponsored by First National Bank (FNB). Mbuli shares it with Jordan, who found his way back into the Cabinet, where he has found life a bit more difficult than being on a Pedestal. This award is not sponsored by the NAC.
Proudly South African Awards for Artists Outside South Africa: Charlize Theron won an Oscar and JM Coetzee won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Back home, photographer Alf Khumalo was deservedly given the Order of Ikhamanga by Mbeki.
Award for Awards: Contenders in this category were the South African Music Awards, the Kora Awards, the Arts and Culture Trust Awards, FNB Dance Umbrella Awards, Business and Arts South Africa Awards, Fleur du Cap Awards and others. But it was the Brett Kebble Awards that walked off with the top prize, sponsored by Kebble himself. Now in its second year this prize, even with the controversy around it, actually makes a real difference to its discipline.
Snigger With Disbelief Headline of the Year Award: Goes to “Robben Island hit by a crime wave” when we all thought that the tranquil community of 180 people was surrounded only by gentle waves lapping this world heritage site.
Special Mention: Goes to American rapper 50 Cent who came to collect a few million rand from our shores; District Six Museum celebrating its 10th anniversary; the family of Solomon Linda fighting Disney studios for the royalties to Wimoweh (The Lion Sleeps Tonight) used in The Lion King; Achmat Dangor’s work being shortlisted for the Booker Prize; the Cape Minstrels angling for R10-million from the government; Phantom of the Opera breaking records; Yfm putting out a definitive treatise on kwaito; and Woolworths doing its bit for South African design.
Play It Again and Again Sam, Lebo, Bheki, Govin and Nomsa Award: These were the real awards for developing, promoting and celebrating South African music, dance, film, craft, theatre, opera, literature and visual art. They go to the thousands of sung and unsung artists who create with passion, commitment and excellence, despite the adverse conditions in which they are often required to work.
For most artists, the first decade of democracy ends with a lot less naivety than it began, with less expectation that “the system” will actually work to their benefit, and with greater reliance on their own resources and creativity.
Let the second decade begin!