The Mthatha Heritage Jazz Festival organiser has described the weekend’s show as a “mess, a flop and an embarrassment”.
In a telephonic interview with the Daily Dispatch yesterday, the director and founder of the festival, Thandokazi “Tando” Sapepa-Nogaga, said she was fed up; the show had damaged her reputation and she would never organise it again.
“This was a mess. It destroyed the brand I have sweated for, for so many years,” said she said.
She had begun her planning last October but “funders and service providers ditched me at the 11th hour”.
“Procurement of the tent and stage was only done on Wednesday. Even the budget I usually get from certain stakeholders, specifically from the provincial government and municipalities, was slashed by 50% compared to previous years.”
This was despite the growth the show had shown over the years.
She said people who had promised a better sound system and stage “ditched me at the last moment”.
“I am not saying that the provincial government and the municipalities did nothing, but they know themselves it was very little, even less than last year,” said
Sapepa-Nogaga said the low budget at the last moment hit her hard as she had to pay all the national artists from her own budget.
“I have paid more than R350000 from my own pocket,” she said.
Among the national artists who performed at the festival are legendary musician Sipho Hotstix Mabuse, Trompies, Revolution, Naima Kay, Peter Mokoena, The Soil and Jazel Brothers.
She said her organisation was non-profit, aimed at promoting local artists and entertaining the people of Mthatha. “Even the little funds I got from some key stakeholders I had to fight hard for. I was crying.”
She said the department of sport, recreation, arts and culture, OR Tambo District Municipality and the King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) municipality only funded local artists, tents and the sound system.
The show started late, with many glitches – including a sound system that was not working, plugs tripping, faulty mics and a generator that ran out of diesel.
She said other festivals, like the Buyelekhaya music festival in East London, were funded “100% by government”.
Social media platforms were abuzz with complaints about how disorganised the show was. But local artists were grateful there was an initiative at all.
National artists said the festival should not be allowed to die, but be embraced as a platform for local talent.
Sports, arts and culture MEC Pemmy Majodina said her department funded only one festival per district. “We never promised her anything,” she said.
KSD mayor Nonkoliso Ngqongwa said she would wait for official communication, while OR Tambo mayor Nomakhosazana Meth could not be reached for comment. — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za.