The 90 page document with 3,962 beneficiaries, detailing all the artists and creatives who received funding from the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture during the Covid-19 pandemic was revealed on Wednesday at the instruction of Minister Gayton McKenzie.
The document publicly named the individuals and the amounts they received as part of the department’ Covid-19 relief.
The beneficiaries applied for the funding and their applications were vetted by a panel comprising of officials from the department. The funds were a once off payment meant to assist the artists, creatives, and sports people during the lockdown as no events were allowed.
Payments ranged between R2,000 and R75,000. The document showed there were 166 payments of exactly R53,000 and eight payments of R75,000. Most payments were of R10,000 or R20,000.
None of the R53,000 or R75,000 payments were for sports stars, but the publication can now reveal some of the entertainers who got the bigger slice than others.
Also read: Skeem Saam’s Rathebe Spirals Amid Love, Betrayal, and Divorce
Influencer and businessman Mohale Motaung who is the ex-husband of choreographer, TV and radio personality Somizi Mhlongo, is one of the eight beneficiaries who got R75,000.
He received the relief funding for Glam Troupe, which is his business that does matric dance makeovers.
Neo Nqwakuza of All in Management also received R75 000, this is the same company that manages Motaung.
Aluwani Duke Nethononda of Duke Assignments, which does the setting up of preliminary and final interviews and arranging all logistics-booking of venues, received R75,000 as well.
Pfunzo Mcgyver Mukwevho of M2N SERVICES CC, believed to be a company associated with podcaster Mac G, received R75,000 too.
Others who received were Sello Mark Magaga, who received two R75,000 payments. According to Linkedin, he is now employed at Ayomide Films, where he is working on a new reality show for Mzansi Magic.
At time of the pandemic, he was head of development at Top Afrika, where he developed local creative content. He also worked at Media24 as a series producer and production manager between July last year and April.
It is unclear what criteria the department used to determine whether to award an artist, creative or sportstar varying amounts between the R2,000 and R75,000.
Veteran kwaito artist and music producer Arthur Mafokate and his son Arthur Junior Mafokate – who is currently on Showmax reality show ‘Born Into Fame’ both received R20,000.
Vocal musician The Kiffness, real name David Scott received R20,000 which has left many shocked on X as he had claimed to have survived the pandemic without having received any relief from the government.
McKenzie said he was publishing the list for the sake of transparency and said there were really good well meaning people who received the funds. He also said the list was not a shame list, but he also wanted to dispel the notion that the DSAC did not support artists.
The minister has also previously expressed that only a few individuals; athletes and creatives were benefiting from the department and this is something that he wants to change, dispersing budgets towards museums and not people who will exploit funds. He has promised to reveal more lists.
For comments, Feedback and Opinions do get in touch with our editor on WhatsApp: +44 7949 297606