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Bongani Ndlovu Chronicle Correspondent
SPORTS, Arts and Culture Minister Andrew Langa yesterday received a tongue-lashing from Amakhosi Cultural Centre director Cont Mhlanga after the minister’s aide told him Langa was too busy to listen to artistes’ concerns.
A livid Mhlanga tore into Minister Langa, who was visiting the cultural centre, saying if he was too busy to stay and listen to artistes’ concerns, then he could leave his premises immediately with his entourage.
Minister Langa tried to calm the situation and said he was there for artistes, but this fuelled Mhlanga’s fury. “Take your boys and go. We’ve been toiling the whole day preparing for your visit and then you don’t have time for us and you want to go. You might as well leave,” charged Mhlanga, who was so affected he shed tears.
The minister was in the city to tour cultural centres. He made stops at Amakhosi Township Square in Makokoba, Isalukazi Centre in Njube and Enkundleni Centre in Entumbane. He was accompanied by the permanent secretary in the ministry, Thokozile Chitepo, National Arts Council of Zimbabwe director Elvis Mari and other senior ministry officials.
Mhlanga’s verbal outburst came when the minister was about to watch a performance by Bulawayo dancehall star, Senko, at Amakhosi Cultural Centre’s main stage. An official he was travelling with whispered to Mhlanga’s ear that he must wind up the programme.
Visibly irritated by the request, Mhlanga angrily ordered the musician to stop singing saying the minister wanted to leave.
In extraordinary scenes, Mhlanga said the ministry was filled with bureaucrats who do not appreciate the plight of artistes because they were always in the comfort of hotel rooms each time they visited Bulawayo.
“We train the children in the arts and get paid nothing. We pay the security guards, water and electricity from the little funding from donors. There’s no funding for the arts,” he stormed.
Senko ended up not performing as the Amakhosi Cultural Centre director continued his rant, highlighting the plight of film set carpenters in the city who are now making coffins because of the defunct film industry.
After Mhlanga calmed down, Minister Langa apologised for taking a year to tour Bulawayo cultural centres and promised to help artistes in the country. “That’s why I’m here Mhlanga. I want to appreciate the struggles of artistes and issues to do with the arts industry. I can learn from you, the artistes, and I want to apologise to you for taking a year to come here and meet with you,” he said.
Minister Langa said he would use what he learnt during the tour to lobby the government to support the arts.
Mhlanga appeared calmer when he took the minister to a site behind the centre’s main arena.
However, his verbal tirade continued when delegates shifted to the garden, when he said the minister was surrounded by inept advisors in his ministry.
“The principal director of arts and culture in your ministry has never set a foot at Amakhosi but chiefs have laid a stone here and other local and foreign dignitaries have planted trees here. You are surrounded by people who are not helping you minister, they are tainting your name,” he said.
“You should come down to the grassroots and see what is happening and the struggles that people are going through in the arts.”
Thereafter, the tour concluded with Mhlanga, the minister and other invited guests having lunch at the centre.
Earlier in the day, Minister Langa toured Isalukazi Centre and watched a breathtaking performance by Umkhathi Theatre Works. He also toured Enkundleni Centre where Black Umfolosi, Impumelelo Shining Stars, Jeys Marabini and Iluba Lemvelo performed.
This is not the first time that Mhlanga has openly attacked Minister Langa.
He once said in Press statement that the minister was disconnected from the arts industry as it remains irrelevant to the country’s economic, social, cultural and political development.
Mhlanga said the arts minister risked becoming “unpopular across the country’s arts and culture sector”.
Online Reporter