A month before the Mapungubwe Youth and Diva Festival was set to take place, no line-up of artists had been made available, and the budget allocated to the event had not been disclosed. The festival is scheduled for Saturday, 8 March, at the Musina Sports Grounds.
The official launch of the Mapungubwe Youth and Diva Festival took place on Monday, 10 February, at the heritage museum in Mapungubwe National Park. Among those attending the media launch were the executive mayor of the Vhembe District Municipality, the mayor of Musina, the chairperson of the Limpopo Arts and Culture Council, and other Musina residents.
The decision to bring one of the events of the controversial Mapungubwe Festival to Musina was welcomed by local artists, who hoped to benefit from the publicity and, potentially, the payments made to performers. Musina's mayor, Nkhanedzeni Godfrey Mawela, was optimistic that the event would boost development, community pride, and social cohesion.
"We are happy that, at last, the festival is now taking place in Musina, and we believe it will boost the local economy. Residents will also have the chance to showcase their talents," said Mawela.
However, the Mapungubwe Festival remains under a cloud of controversy, with allegations of corruption and maladministration. Some have even dubbed it the "festival of corruption". In October last year, President Cyril Ramaphosa authorised an investigation by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) into allegations of corruption and maladministration related to the festival, specifically focusing on financial irregularities from the 2016/17 financial year.
When questioned about the SIU investigation during the launch on 10 February, Limpopo MEC for Arts and Culture Funani Jerry Maseko said his department was cooperating fully. "We will follow any recommendations made by the authorities. Our goal is to ensure clean governance and tackle corruption because corruption prevents poor people from getting the services they need," he said.
Maseko said his department was taking the allegations of corruption and maladministration seriously. He believed the investigation could help clean up the department.
But there was little transparency regarding the upcoming Mapungubwe Youth and Diva Festival. During the launch, no details were provided about the budget allocated to the festival. No artist line-up was available, and it appeared that very few arrangements had been finalised.
When asked later about the budget for the festival, the department's spokesperson, Ms Jermina Kaka, said there was no specific budget as the event was funded through the department's overall budget.
The latest budget for the Limpopo Department of Sport, Arts and Culture was not available on the department's website, making it difficult to gauge how much was being spent on festivals. In her 2023/24 budget speech, former MEC Nakedi Kekana said R85.16 million had been set aside for cultural activities, which included events such as the Mapungubwe Festival.
The name of the event organiser was also not made available and no announcement in this regard was made during the launch. According to the department's website, the tender to organise, manage, and market the Mapungubwe Arts Festival was awarded in December 2023 to Deunice Trading. The contract runs for three years, from the 2023/24 financial year to the 2025/26 financial year, with a total value of R50 million.
It is unclear what Deunice Trading's real area of expertise is. On what appears to be the company's website, its services are described as "comprehensive deep cleaning services for all aspects and requirements to provide a safe and sanitary environment for staff, tenants, clients, and guests". The company specialises in a "manual abrasive cleaning process". Efforts to confirm whether this is the same company arranging the festival, drew blank. When the number was phoned on the website, the call was abruptly ended when a reporter explained why he was calling.
The company's registered address is in Dichoeung village, Jane Furse, and its only listed director is Dipuo Eunice Mashiya.
Among Musina's artists, there was some optimism and enthusiasm about the upcoming festival. Stanley Sigebe, chairperson of the Vhembe District Arts and Culture Council, said he had never previously benefited from these festivals. Sigebe, who performs under the stage name Pro-heed, said he was looking forward to his performance, even though he was not part of the main line-up. He encouraged local artists and small business owners to get involved and benefit from the event.
Sigebe said he had managed to obtain a list of artists performing at the festival but declined to share it, saying it had to be obtained from the service provider. He also refused to provide the service provider's contact details to the media.
Music composer, guitarist, and dancer Bernard Tshibemuda Ndou said he had always wanted to showcase his talent at such festivals but had never had the opportunity. "In most cases, the festival is held in Polokwane, and no one informs us about the event, even though we are prepared for it," he said. However, Ndou's name does not appear on the list of artists.
Another Vhembe-based artist, Mariana Motlare, said she had previously participated in Mapungubwe Festival activities but had never really benefited. "In fact, it was just a chance to show my passion for singing. This time, I hope to benefit since it is in our district," she said. She confirmed that she was part of the line-up for the upcoming festival.