Note to Editors: Please find attached soundbites in English and Setswana by Winston Rabotapi MPL.
The allegations of corruption surrounding the Taung Cultural Calabash festival scheduled to take place this weekend is concerning.
Disgruntled artists, along with some community members, staged a protest outside the Mmabana Taung offices where they raised serious allegations of tender irregularities implicating the Department of Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation and demanded that the event be put on hold.
The Taung Cultural Calabash will host big names in its line up like Casper Nyovest, Thebe and Douglas Mosadi, but allegations of false advertising on festival flyers and that the event is no longer up to standard have also come to light.
The Taung Cultural Calabash is not the only event marred by allegations of corruption.
Recently, the R55-million Mahika Mahikeng Cultural Music Festival scheduled to take place in December also came under scrutiny following allegations of tender irregularities. It has been alleged that two of the companies selected to potentially orgainse the event received ‘special treatment’ which included site visits which other bidders were not afforded.
The DA will submit urgent questions to the MEC of Arts, Culture Sports and Recreation, Galebekwe Tlhapi, to afford her an opportunity to answer to the serious allegations of tender irregularities raised surrounding the two events.
We will also investigate whether supply chain management processes were followed as per relevant legislation and if not, we will not hesitate to bring criminal charges against implicated persons.
The Taung Cultural Calabash, historically takes place during Heritage Month, is a great opportunity to develop local talent and create a form of income for the surrounding Taung community – which it so desperately needs.
According to the Department, the Mahika Mahikeng Cultural Music Festival has grown tremendously over the last few years attracting more than 30 000 revellers to the North West.
Events such as these could go a long way to boost the provincial economy and offer exposure to new talent, but only if these are well planned and managed and free from corruption.
But as usual it appears that the North West ANC-led government is only interested in milking these events to the benefit of a connected few.