Struggling musicians have accused the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture of ignoring their pleas for help.
The entertainment industry has been shut down by the Coronavirus lockdown.
Over 1000 members of the Trade Union for Musicians of South Africa (TUMSA) say their appeals for emergency relief funding have fallen on deaf ears.
Taking to YouTube on Sunday, TUMSA’s interim chairperson, singer Vicky Sampson, called for the axing of Minister Nathi Mthethwa.
“TUMSA calls for his removal and that of his Director General along with the senior members in the Department,” she said.
“We pledge our support for the magnificent leadership shown by President Ramaphosa during the current Covid-19 pandemic.
“Unfortunately we reject with contempt the lack of decisive action from Minister Mthethwa and the DSAC.”
She says they’ve asked the department for a temporary Covid-19 related monthly minimum wage for approximately 5000 full-time musicians.
Vicky says they presented their proposal to Mthethwa on 19 March and re-submitted repeatedly to DSAC Director General Vusi Mkhize, but to no avail.
She accused officials of being “amateurish, vague and frankly pathetic”.
Fellow TUMSA member, musical director Camillo Lombard, says the virus has left the music industry in ruins, starting with the cancellation of the prestigious Cape Town International Jazz Festival.
AFFECTED: Camillo Lombard
“Directly after that, other festivals, events and corporate events started cancelling, which left our music industry devastated,” he says.
“It has been a month now since the cancellation of CTIJF and to date, there has been no specific plan from the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture for relief.
“There are thousands of music practitioners in SA including performers, engineers, producers, managers and booking agents.
“I see this as a monumental disaster on the part of the DSAC. Our industry is not regulated, we need a minister who understands our industry.”
The Daily Voice has emailed, called and texted the department spokesperson, Masechaba Ndlovu, who failed to reply to queries.