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Bongani Ndlovu Showbiz Correspondent
SPORTS, Arts and Culture Minister Andrew Langa is expected to officially open a two-day National Arts and Culture Indaba to be held at the end of this month in Bulawayo.
The indaba organised by the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe will be held on October 29 and 30.
Minister Langa who was in the city last week where he toured cultural centres, is expected to take the opportunity to give a feedback to artistes who raised a number of issues when they met him.
In an interview with Chronicle Showbiz, NACZ communications and marketing officer Cathrine Mthombeni said the minister will officially open the two-day indaba and thereafter discuss various issues with artistes drawn from all corners of Zimbabwe.
“The indaba is a National Arts and Culture Strategy Dialogue held annually to discuss, deliberate and recommend specific courses of action in the cultural sector. It is a platform for stakeholders in the arts and culture sector to meet and dialogue on issues affecting the development and future of the sector as well as taking stock of sector achievements,” she said.
Mthombeni said the minister would also take the opportunity to share with artistes information on what his ministry intends to do for the arts sector in the next five years.
“The indaba is key as the Ministry of Sports, Arts and Culture is making strides to ensure that it changes the face of the sector,” she said.
Meanwhile, in an e-mail sent to NACZ deputy director Nicholas Moyo, local playwright Cont Mhlanga said he would only participate if the ministry addresses seven key issues that include funding as well as the ministry’s five-year plan on culture and heritage projects.
He said this time there should be a difference from previous indabas which failed to come up with concrete resolutions on the way forward. Last year, the indaba was held in Harare, drawing hugely from the arts industry’s gurus which included the likes of Oliver Mtukudzi, Mhlanga of Amakhosi, Daves Guzha, Raisedon Baya, Albert Nyathi, Pathisa Nyathi and others.
“During the 2013 indaba our Hon Minister Langa, the Permanent Secretary Thoko Chitepo, the Ministry’s Principal Director Damasane and a senior director in the Ministry came to address the indaba in Harare and none of what they said they will do has been done. Just go back to their speeches Moyo. Now you’re inviting me to come again this year to listen to the same speeches and promises from our Ministry officials, the difference now being that it’s at a Bulawayo hotel,” he said.
Mhlanga said the Ministry officials and the captains of the creative industries should lock themselves up for the two days to listen to the Ministry leadership and deliberate to agree or disagree.
Online Reporter