LIMPOPO Artists Movement takes aim at MEC!
The Limpopo Artists Movement has lost confidence in the MEC of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, Nakedi Kekana.
Mphoza Mashabela, the LAM provincial chairman, told Daily Sun that they want to boycott the Mapungubwe Festival 2023 as they are repeating the same line-up and denied that he was also booked for that festival.
The festival will take place from Saturday 9 to 16 December at various venues in the Limpopo province.
He said they are not giving other talents a chance to showcase their skills. He said the show will be held on 16 December at the Cricket Club, Polokwane in Limpopo.
They include Makhadzi, King Monada, Pleasure Tsa Manyalo, Master KG, Shebe-shebe, Shibu Molomo, Kharishma and Dr Winnie Mashaba, to name a few.
Mashabela said all they want from the department is to open doors for others.
"We are not happy with this department as LAM at all. We want new people in the management of the festival," he said. Mashabela feels that the MEC and the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture have undermined the interests of Limpopo artists.
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"Mapungubwe Festival 2023 is nothing but a problem that further undermines other Limpopo artists. This line-up keeps repeating the same artists""Some gospel artists performed at the Thobela FM Gospel Festival a few weeks ago while some artists were denied the opportunity to perform at the Mapungubwe Festival. This is heartbreaking," he said.
Mphoza said he felt they did not care about other talents.
Pelane Phakgadi, the MEC spokesperson, told SunTeam that these were frivolous allegations fuelled by LAM leader Mphoza Mashabela's personal greed. He said over 85% of the artists are from Limpopo.
He said this year's Mapungube Arts and Culture Festival will have more artists, many of whom will perform at the carnival and during the build-up in the districts.
Pelane cliamed that Mphoza wants his name to be mentioned for the open-air concert while he was favoured for the carnival instead.
"The Mapungubwe Arts and Cultural Festival is not for the glory of individuals, but for all Limpopo artists plying their trade from local to national and international level. Emerging and developing artists should also be given a chance and that is why we will also be hosting the Mapungubwe Youth and Divas Concert in March 2024"
"The Mapungubwe Arts and Culture Festival encompasses all types of arts. The traditional division of the arts is music, sculpture, painting, literature, architecture, performance and film. All these together make up the Mapungubwe Arts and Cultural Festival and not a Mashabela and friends festival. Many musicians from LAM have been booked, including himself," he said.
