Simphiwe Dana calls out President Cyril Ramaphosa for ‘ignoring’ artists

Singer-songwriter Simphiwe Dana called out President Cyril Ramaphosa on Twitter for ignoring artists’ plight during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bold and outspoken jazz and afro-house Xhosa singer often takes to Twitter to share her thoughts and opinions on various topics, including gender, sexuality and politics.

SIMPHIWE DANA UNIMPRESSED WITH RAMAPHOSA 

In her 6 April tweet, she expressed that she is “unimpressed” with the president, adding that Ramaphosa will be shocked when things completely fall apart in the industry. 

I’m also quite unimpressed with how our president has ignored the arts during this pandemic. But he will be ‘shocked’ when things completely fall apart in this sector

— #BamakoIsHere (@simphiwedana) April 6, 2021

TWITTER REACTS 

Tweeps tended to side with the singer with one saying that she has not yet heard the president say anything about artists and the state of their lives or the financial battles they are experiencing.

In the past year to date I have not heard the president say anything… dololo to us… artists about the state of our lives nor the ranging financial wars we dealing with let alone mental and emotional health. But keeee… he will quote us when microphones are presented.

— Napo “Popo” Masheane (@MasheanePopo) April 6, 2021

Another mentioned that the art industry has actually helped people survive lockdown as most people were stuck inside and have therefore relied on music more now than ever. So she feels like artists were not just ignored but “actively worked against”.

And ignored the fact that the arts have quite literally helped people survive lockdown. Stuck inside, I have relied on music more than ever before. Imagine the silence without any of the arts. And yet those artists are not only ignored but actively worked against.

— Anne Donaldson (@AnneDonaldson) April 6, 2021

However, others feel like this is not the fault of the president.  Another Twitter user stated that he thinks that this is the responsibility of the ministers and not the president as each minister has their own set of responsibilities.

Yeah well I will differ from you on that matter since there is a minister who is responsible for that department, the president was engaged in so many things and it is the responsibility of the ministry of the said department to be blamed

— Mphe Nthweo (@ChrisMofokeng5) April 9, 2021

I still believe that all sectors are important to the government including arts and culture let's put blame where it belongs, the department of Arts ministry and the minister so to speak

— Mphe Nthweo (@ChrisMofokeng5) April 9, 2021

The Bamako hitmaker then went on to compare the art industry and politics saying that both cannot be just a job. 

The thing about politics. It can’t just be a job. Same for the arts

— #BamakoIsHere (@simphiwedana) April 6, 2021

SIMPHIWE DANA TALKS RACE

After her rant about President Cyril Ramaphosa, Simphiwe Dana voiced her thoughts on race and politics saying that she feels there are very few white people with whom one can talk “healthy politics”. 

There are a very few white people you can talk healthy politics to. And it’s sad because we need to live in this planet together

— #BamakoIsHere (@simphiwedana) April 5, 2021

“And South Africa is really the bottom of the devil to have such healthy and constructive topics,” she continued in the thread.

“We could fight all these struggles together. We could fight to make humanity better, together,” she added.

“But we’re dealing with white people who are not willing to come to the table. Because they were so perfect, bona. Corruption of colonialism is not a thing. And the blacks came into power and messed up the utopia. Not because endemic corruption messed up everything. It is sad,” she ended.

WEIGHING IN ON NAC MAFOKATE SCANDAL

Simphiwe Dana also spoke out about the National Arts Council (NAC) scandal that involved Arthur Mafokate and his ex-girlfriend Chomee who reportedly received R2 million. In her tweet, she calls Mafokate, the “mastermind”.

More drama at the National Arts Council. Arthur Mafokate affiliated companies received over R10m from NAC. His picture as the mastermind should be here, not Chomee’s pic.twitter.com/K5scqtZ1lJ

— #BamakoIsHere (@simphiwedana) March 24, 2021

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