The situation is calm at the National Arts Council (NAC) offices in Newtown, Johannesburg, as the group staging a sit-in waits to see whether they will be forcefully removed on Tuesday or not.
The group has been at the offices for 42 days.
The group that is now known as Abahlali base NAC told SowetanLIVE that it was ready for the eviction. This comes after a court ordering the group to vacate the offices on Friday, but they have refused to leave.
The group said it was tipped off by sources that they should expect to be evicted from Tuesday.
Member of the group Evh’a Nteso said: “We got a tip off that NAC has told its staff not to come to work as from today because they were planning to evict us. We thought they will come early in the morning but we are waiting for them to come. We are not scared.”
The group is demanding answers in the allocation of the Presidential Employment Stimulas Programme (PESP) funds.
Opera singer and leader of the group Sibongile Mngoma said: “We are ready. There are two things; it is either we are about to die or we are about to get rich. What our officials don’t understand is that there are certain laws that protect citizens. Whatever force they use, they must be prepared to stand by it after the forceful removal because it is not about getting an eviction and enforces it, it is about what happens afterwards.
“My message to department of sports, arts and culture, National Arts Council board and the minister [Nathi Mthethwa] is very simple, whatever you do, make sure I don’t come out alive because there is always an after effect. If anything gets broken, we are coming for everything. If anybody gets hurt, we are coming for everything.”
When SowetanLive arrived, Abahlali had just wrapped up a strategy meeting. Despite the eviction threats, people continue doing their daily jobs.
DA shadow minister of sport, arts and culture Tsepo Mhlongo called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene in the crisis unfolding at the NAC and personally meet with affected artists.
"It's been 42 days since artists began a sit-in at the offices of the NAC, attempting to force answers from the NAC about R300m in relief funding that was promised through the Presidential Economic Stimulus Programme, but never received by the artists. The government’s irrational lockdown regulations have caused many of those employed in the arts and culture sector to lose their income. Some of those engaged in sit-in at the NAC do not have homes to return to or food to eat.
"Both the NAC and the minister of sports, arts and culture, Nathi Mthethwa have demonstrated an inability to adequately address challenges faced by the sector. As the DA, we have continuously argued that, unless the arts and culture sector receive the necessary support, the regulations and economic restrictions would decimate the industry."
NAC council spokesperson Tshepo Mashiane said: "Basically at this point, we literally don't have much to say. But remember the sheriff has served them with a court order. How the sheriff takes the whole process forward is in his hands and the court. We have made it clear to the sheriff that there should not be any forceful eviction or injuring of the people sitting in."
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