Opera singer Sibongile Mngoma stages sit-in at National Arts Council over R300m package

Opera singer Sibongile Mngoma is staging a sit-in at the offices of the National Arts Council (NAC) in Newtown, Johannesburg, demanding answers about the presidential employment stimulus programme (Pesp).

The sit-in by Mngoma comes just a day after the NAC council suspended CEO Rosemary Mangope and CFO Clifton Changfoot pending an investigation in relation to the management of the R300m Pesp. In her mission, Mngoma is supported by people’s poet Mzwakhe Mbuli.

In a video that Mngoma posted earlier on Monday, she can be heard speaking to someone at the NAC saying: “They are telling me to send the an e-mail. Ngila [I’m here] bafuna ngibathumele i-email [they want me to send an e-mail]. Why do you ask me to send an e-mail when I am here at this office. What I’m looking for are simple things, I’m looking for the list of people who signed the contract for the Pesp, and the people who have gotten their letters but still not signed a contract.” 

Mbuli said: “I am here to support Sibongile. I’m convinced that at Codesa there was no arts and culture on the agenda hence there are so many problems. People thought under apartheid as we were struggling that the doors of arts and culture shall be opened as promised in the Freedom Charter. But it is very clear that it was just talk. There is nothing representing artists in the constitution. It does not speak to us and does not protect us. Artists have challenges and grievances that range from royalties to airplay, royalties and funding. There is so much affecting people in the arts fraternity. Sibongile recently lost her aunt, she is supposed to be mourning but she is compelled to take to the street because of the injustices in the country.”

Mngoma also plans to visit the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) on Saturday while she will be at SA Music Rights Organisation (Samro) on March 12. Her last stop will be at the department of sport, arts and culture on March 15.

Marketing and publicist at NAC Thola Petla confirmed that Mngoma was inside and was still engaging with a human resource manager.

"We would like to engage with anybody and listen to their problems or grievances but we did not receive a communication from her that she was coming. If she communicated with us we could have organised management and council so that they can listen to her. We are always open for communication."

She added: "The reason we are concerned about many people coming to or offices is that last week we had a staff member who tested positive."