Thami AkaMbongo Manzana: A call for clarity and courage in the Cultural and Creative Industries.

There is a powerful policy in the political space of South Africa called the “Step Aside Rule.” The African National Congress (ANC) implemented this policy to allow investigations and legal processes to take their course without interference from implicated individuals.

What if this policy were adopted within the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) of South Africa? Would it help us uproot the deep rot that continues to stifle transformation and fairness in our sector? Would it finally usher in an era where the industry wins, not individuals?

This article is not here to offer solutions. It’s here to ask hard, uncomfortable, and necessary questions. Questions that might unsettle some, but could ultimately lead to the healing and rebuilding of our sector.

1. What If Everyone Implicated in the Mzansi Golden Economy (MGE) Dilemma Stepped Aside?

If the MGE programme has been riddled with controversy, mismanagement, altered contracts, and broken trust – why are those who presided over this mess still at the table?

Shouldn’t practitioners, organisations, DSAC officials, senior managers, and even past adjudicators who are implicated in the collapse of the integrity of MGE be asked to step aside, if we are to rebuild with credibility?

What would it look like if every individual or structure mentioned in reports, complaints, or investigations regarding MGE mismanagement temporarily vacated their positions until cleared?

Would this not allow honest dialogue to thrive? Would this not restore a level of confidence and encourage transparency?

2. Why Did the Recent High-Level Meeting with Minister Gayton McKenzie Avoid MGE?

Minister McKenzie has called out CCIFSA as a “criminal organisation”. Yet, strangely, he sits in meetings with those very same individuals who were part of it since its inception – others of whom have never had a mandate from the sector they claim to represent as their sector councils.

Why are we back in the “Animal Farm” scenario – where those who created the problem are tasked with fixing it?

Why was MGE, a central pain point for thousands of practitioners, not tabled or prioritised in that meeting?

Why were the voices of those who suffered under the MGE collapse absent from the room?

Would this meeting have carried more legitimacy if it first addressed the very issues practitioners are marching about – including the silence on MGE adjudication results for applications submitted in January 2025?

3. Are We Fighting Each Other More Than We’re Fighting the System?

Do we realise that jealousy, envy, and the “me” syndrome are more dangerous than DSAC’s failures?

Are we so obsessed with seeing ourselves at the head of the table that we sabotage those who stand up, simply because it’s not “our” moment?

Do we remember how some artists ridiculed and undermined President Sibongile Mngoma during the NAC 60-day campaign – just because she dared to challenge the system?

Will history repeat itself again as people label, attack, and discredit those marching for MGE transparency?

Have we become so comfortable in our silos that we’d rather fight each other behind closed doors than unite and face a broken system?

4. Should the Minister Handle CCIFSA Matters Separately Before the March?

If the Minister wants to clean up the industry, should he not first address the legitimacy crisis within CCIFSA?

Would it not be strategic to deal with CCIFSA issues in a separate, transparent process before engaging the broader sector – so that the March is not misdirected or discredited?

Why hasn’t the Minister created a platform where artists can speak openly about MGE and other governance issues without fear or bias?

5. Why Is DSAC Not Taking Full Responsibility?

Can DSAC truly claim clean hands in all of this?

Is it not the department that approved contracts, made questionable changes, and appointed adjudicators?

Are the senior managers not part of the problem, especially if some of them orchestrated both the chaos and the cover-ups?

Can any reform happen if those responsible for the downfall of past funding programmes are still leading current processes?

Should DSAC not issue a public report detailing what went wrong with MGE and how they plan to fix it?

6. Final Questions to Everyone: Practitioners, Officials, Structures What would happen if those with knowledge of corruption, mismanagement, or unethical dealings in DSAC and related organisations spoke out?

What would change if we demanded public audits, hearings, or truth commissions on the past 10 years of funding programmes?

Would we finally shift from being victims of a broken system to architects of a just and functional one?

How many more times will practitioners have to march, write open letters, or cry out for help before we’re taken seriously?

Are we afraid of naming names, confronting comrades, and calling each other to order because we fear losing access or funding?

Will we ever see a Cultural and Creative Industry where integrity, not proximity to power, opens doors?

What does it say about us when we’re more outraged by who leads the march than the reasons behind the march?

What does it mean when we spend more time questioning motives than exposing corruption?

Are we prepared to ask DSAC: why have you not responded to the MGE January 2025 applications?

Are we ready to hold our peers accountable – not just government?

Can we say with a clear conscience: “I have not benefited irregularly while others suffered”?

Conclusion: The Sector Must Win

This article does not seek to divide but to provoke. To ask difficult questions and force us to look in the mirror. Because if we don’t fix this now, we risk watching our sector rot from the inside out – again.

The sector must win – not DSAC, not individual leaders or marching movements. The sector. The everyday practitioner. The youth waiting for mentorship. The theatre in the township. The dancer with no stage. The singer with no studio.

So, before we discredit one another, label each other, or protect comfort zones, let’s ask the real questions. Let’s demand real answers.

And maybe, just maybe, let’s Step Aside where necessary – so that the Cultural and Creative Industries of South Africa can finally step forward.

Thami AkaMbongo Manzana
akambongo@gmail.com
AkaMbongo Foundation Pty Ltd
http://www.akambongo.co.za

Disclaimer: Artslink.co.za encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views published do not necessarily represent the views of Artslink.co.za.

Creative Disclaimer:

This piece is penned by Thami akaMbongo Manzana in his personal capacity – as an artist, thinker, and observer of life.

The reflections, ideas, and expressions shared here are entirely his own and are not meant to represent the views or positions of any organization, structure, or association he may be part of.

These are personal thoughts flowing from the heart, mind, and lived experience – meant to provoke thought, inspire dialogue, and spark the imagination.