[LISTEN] Artists say their industry is being 'raped and pillaged' by lack of pandemic funding

Artists say the Covid-19 pandemic has devastated their industry, leaving them in dire straits, and this has been compounded by a lack of fundings from the National Arts Council (NAC). 

Artist Shaeleen Tobin says the majority of those who applied have not been able to access the  R300 million-plus in support that was want to keep them performing. 

"People have signed contracts, now the NAC is trying to renege on those contracts," she says. 

"Of the people that have been paid...a grand total of no more than R30 million has been paid out," says Tobin. 

"The artists are dying, we are suffering, we are trying to inject our professionalism and expertise back into the sector." 

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Tobin says a group of arts staged a protest to the NAC's offices on Thursday, but there was no-one at the office. 

"Where has the money gone? Why have you left the sector to bleed to death, literally?" she asks. 

"WIthout the creative sector our society is going to die.... And as the face of the artist is being raped and pillaged there is not a heart and there is not a pulse to society," 

Listen to Tobin  below: 

NAC Council member, Tshepo Mashiane has acknowledged that they are facing major challenges. 

The new NAC council took office in January 2021, and according to Mashiane discovered "serious" challenges in the funding payments. 

"We are dealing with applicants who have been given money over and above what they requested, and applicants that are approved but do not have an allocation," he says. 

According to Mashiane, they received legal advice on who to address the problems and delays that have ensued. 

He says they will be having an industry briefing on the matter on Friday "to provide clarity on who we are oggin to able to pay all the applicants that have been approved."

Listen to Mashiane  below: