The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture has unleashed a can of worms thanks to the instructions of the department's newly appointed minister Gayton McKenzie.
McKenzie ordered artists, sports stars and creatives who received funding from the department be named publicly, with the reasons and the amounts thereof.
Makhadzi was the first artist to be named on Tuesday night. The Limpopo singer received R230,000 in performance fees from the department in the past 14 months.
However, McKenzie tweeted, which has become his favourite thing to address issues, that Makhadzi was not is not a recipient of grant funding of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture but delivered a service, clarifying the confusion.
@MakhadziSA is not a recipient of grant funding @SportArtsCultur, she delivered a service. The IT team is fixing the first link because there are still two others to follow. I will speak to @MakhadziSA shortly and revert after understanding what happened regarding that statement
It appears the minister had been responding to complaints by Makhadzi that she receieved no government assistance for her trip to the US, where she returned with a BET Award.
McKenzie’s office released a statement saying they had paid the Limpopo artist R230,000 for performances in the past 14 months.
The statement came during the same period inwhich the minister had sought to publish a list of artists who received grant funding from the department during the Covid-19 lockdown and pandemic.
McKenzie said there were good and well meaning in the sports, arts and culture sectors, who received grant funding, but he was shocked to see people who were receiving funding from DSAC claiming they were not supported.
He said the lists were being revealed for transparency.
Makhadzi said she had performed in a June 16 and the Presidential Inauguration, but she had got no funding from DSAC.
“The statement from the department is creating a lot of confusion... to give an impression that Makhadzi is one of the recipients and is now being published as stated by the Minister Mr. Gayton McKenzie.
“Makhadzi is not a recipient and the department should release the list and stop diverting attention,” her team said in a statement.
Makhadzi, in a Facebook Live video, told fans she only received money for her bookings, which she worked hard for.
“We can confirm that the department contracted Makhadzi to perform for the June 16 event and the Presidential inauguration, which she did (rendered a service) and the department paid her. That is not funding but a payment for services rendered,” said Makhadzi’s team.
— Makhadzi (@MakhadziSA) July 10, 2024
In a statement, the Department refuted Makhadzi’s claim that she had not been supported by the government towards her BET trip; as they had supported her by booking her on several occasions.
“DSAC strongly rejects the assertion that it has not supported Makhadzi. Over the past 14 months, Makhadzi has been booked by DSAC to perform in several national engagements, receiving as much as R230,000.”
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