MEDIA personality Penny Lebyane has come out to set the record straight about her recent MC gig at the government event, Silapha.
Penny recently came under fire after she took to Twitter to defend Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa’s proposition to create a R22 million flag.
Her tweets were not well received by a majority of people including celebrities.
In a thread, Penny said: “Obviously @NathiMthethwaSA is not liked by a whole industry that hates itself so nothing new there for me. But I have a question.
“How did they build your favourites, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Statue Of Liberty in New York, Christ The Redemeer in Rio De Janeiro? Why do you like them?
“You will say I’m paid to ask this, let me free you I am not. Even @Silapha_ l understand the magnitude of the South African arts.
“Personally I don’t hate the minister I just work, make the best of every situation or opportunity for myself and I will wear a South African dress, flag anywhere in the world.
“I have not studied the feasibility document on the flag to cost R22 million so I’m limited there but it doesn’t sound like a lot of money for something that will out live me,” she had tweeted at the time.
She said hating the minister couldn’t be the reason why creatives themselves didn’t commit to fixing their problems.
A week after her tweets, the Twitter account, EFF_WARD60_JHB, shared a leaked Department of Arts and Culture programme where Penny would be the programme director.
The tweet alleged that the reason she defended the controversial flag was for the gig.
But according to Penny, that was far from the truth.
Speaking to Daily Sun, she said the continuation of her bullying on Twitter was what lead to the suicides of some public figures and it’s unfortunate they were politicising her work.
“I’ve been an ambassador for Silapha from inception as an advocate on mental health, lifestyle management and legal matters. It’s unfortunate that people like the EFF guy are only coming to the knowledge of that now.
“I have been vocal on issues affecting artists for as long as I have been on radio from gender parity to sexual exploitation, contract issues and substance abuse for over 20 years,” she said.
She said she had been working with the department from 2021 as a volunteer with a provision way below her rate because she was committed to the advocacy work, which she started on her original post.
“Silapha outreach has been to Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Free State. And I have been speaking on mental health in entertainment for over 15 years giving context even why suicide is not the solution.
“Also, I have to affiliate as I choose. Cyber bullying is a problem and we will also discuss that with creatives on how to empower oneself to not give in and think of suicide or abusing substance in order to come,” she said.
Penny said on the document that’s on social media, it must be noted that the document was leaked by internal staff at either the national department or Gauteng Department of Sports Arts and Culture.
“I don’t even have a copy of that so it’s malicious to say the least for clout on Twitter,” she said.
