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Mr President, I had not planned to write to you. But, the doing of your government has pushed me to write this letter. Can you please look at these two pictures? Both were taken by my cellphone, one was a distance from the object and the other was taken at close range. The distant shot looks smart, but the close shot is revealing.
This is a ‘monument’ that marks the home village of Charlotte Maxeke, the first black woman to graduate with a university degree in South Africa. Maxeke was born in Gqugesi village, in Fort Beaufort, Eastern Cape, and this ‘monument’ stands next to a community hall. It is built of bricks with poor plastering. It has a shabby painting of Maxeke’s face and ANC colours drawn on it.
A young poet, Nobesuthu Mandlovu, has written a poem in honour of Charlotte Maxeke. The poem African Women has been selected for the forthcoming Belfast International Arts Festival. It will be unveiled in Ireland on 18 October 2023 and it will be archived for future generations around the world.
The 2023 Belfast International Arts Festival marks this year’s UK Black History Month and it also recognises the 10th anniversary of the death of Nelson Mandela. Ms Mandlovu is a young township lady who's only 33 years old.
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Although she does not occupy a powerful position like you, she has offered the world a piece of wisdom through her work of genius and talent that will be placed among the works of the best poets in Ireland and around the world, such as James Joyce, Ciaran Carson, Snead Morreey, Seamus Heaney and Paul Muldoon.
The MEC has a stated aim “to ensure access to, increased participation in and transformation of the sport, arts, culture and recreation sectors in a manner that yields optimum social and economic benefit for all in the Eastern Cape”.
The MEC further boasts, that their mission is “to develop and promote sport, recreation, arts and culture for spiritual, intellectual, physical and material upliftment of the people of the Eastern Cape”.
A letter written to me in response to a request to ensure that Nobesuthu Mandlovu and all the selected poets reach the prestigious Ireland Arts Festival states that the “department is unable to assist with international travel, events and tuition due to the inability of DSRAC to vet the credibility of the legitimacy of international events. The department is only able to assist with the activities that are confined within the borders of South Africa and will not be liable for any activities outside the country”.
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As a person who made the request on behalf of the internationally recognised poets, I was subjected to a run around for the whole week, just to have access to the MEC or her officials.
I also had to approach the arts and culture desk at the Eastern Cape Legislature with the same request. After knocking all over, and without any invitation for any enquiries that may be sought on the request, such as the questioned legitimacy of the event and/or authentic invitations thereof, I received the ‘regret’ email on 3 October.
For your attention, Mr President, I have in my possession authentic letters of invitation from the organisers and here is a link to the event: The Golden Shovel
Mr President, our poverty levels are so high in the Eastern Cape. But, our talent is phenomenal. This talent can never go to waste and, whether anyone in your employ, likes it or not, deserving talent will be supported. The returns to global exposure are huge for the cultural diplomacy and the economic spin-offs for South Africa and the Eastern Cape in particular. But, your MEC, the custodian of your ‘monument’, is actively blocking this prospect.
Unlike your MEC, the custodian of your ‘monument’, the institute is involved in masses-oriented socio-economic programmes that are designed to raise the level of life of the downtrodden. And, we are fully conscious of the fact that there is no dignity in begging your deployed people. Also, we can never depend on the liking or the myopic thinking on the part of your office-holders, when it comes to art and art performance. We are independent-minded people. That is why we are able to globalise our art, even as we starve.
For many years, as blacks, we attended meetings, we listened to speeches, raised our fists approvingly, shouted slogans and sang songs. We are not going to march and protest against the decision of the MEC. We do not rely on her for the development of the arts. Unfortunately, your appointees in this province, including all the other position-holders who are paid for being arrogant towards citizens, are going to lose their assumed credibility.
These people have come late in our lives. Their appearance occurred when we had already regained our sense of self-reliance.
If the MEC and her staff believe that the poets will not exist, that they will never be seen or heard. I dare say they visit the grave of Sgt Hatting in the eQonce cemetery, five minutes away from their office, and inquire from the dead security policeman who is this Dr M-Afrika.
Let them know that while they believe that the ANC government enjoys the child-like faith of the citizens, they better stretch their eyes and ears to see and smell the coffee on offer.
Those who seek to frustrate the efforts at placing issues of history and excellence of black academics, such as Charlotte Maxeke and Dr Mhlobo Jadezweni, as honoured by the esteemed poets, will never win.
We may not have the resources to challenge their unpatriotic and reactionary actions in the courts of the land, but their decision to undermine the constitutional mandate as stated in the basic documents of the DSRAC will come back to haunt them. History is on our side. It is us who battled the most resourced institutions of the apartheid system.
President Ramaphosa, look again at your ‘monument’. When you and your ruling entourage descended onto Gqugesi village to unveil your memorable ‘monument’, you may have not noticed that the houses around are neat and well-decorated. Dignified people live in those houses. So, your ‘monument’ does not reflect them nor the excellence of Charlotte Maxeke. Your ‘monument’ is the testimony of how shameless your ANC government can be.
I am always,
Dr Andile M-Afrika
Director
M-Afrika Research Institute.
