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Melissa Mpofu Showbiz Editor
FOLLOWING the chaotic scenes at the Zimdancehall Sting contest in Harare last weekend where some music lovers were seriously injured after violence broke out during the show, the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) is looking for ways to avoid the recurrence of such scenarios.
Zimdancehall lovers had packed the City Sports Centre waiting for the climax of the sting – a face-off between artistes, Seh Calaz and Soul Jah Love when all hell broke loose after a skirmish on stage between the two artistes as crowds got uncontrollable, forcing police to fire teargas. The teargas is said to have had serious outcomes as the crowds in their thousands, trampled on each other as they all jostled to get to the nearest exit points.
It has become the norm at Zimdancehall shows that fans act violently, often throwing cans onto the stage to show their displeasure, leaving police with no option but to disperse the crowds, a scenario which the arts council wants to be avoided.
NACZ said it condemned the recent violence at the Zimdancehall Sting and damage of property at City Sports Centre.
“Arts and culture events, particularly in Showbiz, are mainly for entertainment, hence issues of violence should never be allowed to happen.
“NACZ is committed to ensure that such a scenario will not recur,” said NACZ communications and marketing officer, Catherine Mthombeni.
She said NACZ had appointed an investigating team that would be chaired by the NACZ deputy director Nicholas Moyo to examine what happened on the fateful day.
“The team will thoroughly look into the matter and recommend how best such behaviour can be avoided in future. The team’s core issues of examination will include ascertaining the real causes of the disturbances at City Sports Centre on Saturday, 8th November 8, 2014, indicating how many people were injured and the damage to property.
“Stakeholders involved in the showbiz industry as well as those involved in dancehall will be interviewed on ways to avoid the recurrence of violence,” said Mthombeni.
The investigation team will spend the next month (21 working days) working on the investigation, with the NACZ expected to issue a statement on their findings and solutions.
“The solutions from the investigation will be for the whole sector and not only for specifically Zimdancehall. NACZ will work with law enforcement agencies as well as the arts stakeholders to ensure that measures are put in place to stop the violence once and for all,” said Mthombeni.
She added that the NACZ had since held a meeting with the promoter of the show, Chipaz and received a report from him.
“The information in the report will be used by the NACZ team in compiling their report. NACZ upholds professionalism and desires that all artists, arts organisations and promoters alike, make professionalism central to their conduct of arts business.”
Online Reporter