Silence, Delay, and a Sector Left in the Dark by Thami akaMbongo Manzana There are only 15 days left before the National Arts Festival in Makhanda, yet a troubling silence hangs over the cultural and creative sector. Practitioners and organisations who applied for support through the National Arts Council are still waiting for outcomes that were reportedly meant to be announced on 29 May 2026. No communication. No clear explanation. No accountability. And in that silence, uncertainty grows. The question is no longer simply about delayed funding. It is about governance, communication, and respect for an entire sector that carries the emotional, cultural, and economic heartbeat of the country. Who is responsible for the delay? Is the delay sitting with the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, or is it deeper within the decision-making chain of the Minister himself? Or is it somewhere in-between—lost in administrative corridors where accountability becomes blurred and responsibili...

  POLITICAL WIND-CHASERS, AND THE COST OF RELEVANCE  By Thami akaMbongo Manzana  There is a growing pattern in the cultural and creative space where some artists, performers, and public figures position themselves not as independent voices, but as political chameleons constantly shifting alignment depending on where influence, access, or visibility is strongest. This is not new. It is simply becoming more visible in a digital age where attention is currency, and proximity to power is often mistaken for success. Opportunist alignment whether by artists or cultural figures often follows a predictable cycle: attach to political power, amplify that proximity, and convert it into exposure .  In the short term, it may work. Some gain platforms, bookings, funding opportunities, or media attention. But in the long term, it raises a deeper question: at what cost does relevance come when it is borrowed from political convenience rather than earned through consistent artistic i...

  NOT EVERY ACTOR NEEDS ANOTHER AUDITION. SOME ACTORS NEED A HOME TO GROW.  The acting profession has become obsessed with one question: "When will I become famous?" Perhaps the better question is: "When will I become a better actor?" Too many performers spend years chasing the next commercial, the next television appearance, the next social media moment, or the next opportunity to be seen. Yet many never get the chance to build the discipline, consistency, and range that turns a performer into a true artist. There is dignity in knowing where your next pay cheque is coming from. There is value in working consistently. There is power in being part of an ensemble that demands excellence every day. The greatest actors in the world were not built by fame. They were built by rehearsal rooms, touring productions, difficult texts, challenging roles, long hours, and a commitment to mastering their craft. A repertory company offers something many performers rarely experience...

  ARTS , CULTURE AND THE POLITICS WE PRETEND NOT TO SEE  By  Thami akaMbongo Manzana Politics affect us as Cultural and Creative Industries practitioners whether we like it or not. We can debate it, resist it, even deny it but we cannot escape it. The sooner we accept this reality, the sooner we begin to engage the system with clarity rather than confusion. We often hear repeated calls from within the sector: we need a Minister who understands the Arts and Culture sector . This is not a new demand. It has been voiced across generations of practitioners, festivals, workshops, and policy engagements. Yet it is important to understand the constitutional framework within which executive appointments are made. Under Section 91(3)(c) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, the President is explicitly authorised to appoint no more than two Ministers from outside the National Assembly. This means the President does, in fact, have limited but real discretion to...

  THE SOUTH AFRICAN CREATIVE INDUSTRY'S BIGGEST CRISIS By Thami aka Mbongo Manzana Truth be told, the Cultural and Creative Industries in South Africa are suffering from a leadership crisis. We have more followers than leaders. We have more social media activists than industry builders. We have more keyboard heroes than policy warriors. Every day artists flood Facebook, X, TikTok and WhatsApp groups with complaints, insults and gossip. Yet when it is time to confront the structural problems that have crippled the sector since 1994, the room suddenly becomes empty. The uncomfortable truth is that the South African Cultural and Creative Industries remain largely unregulated and fragmented.  Despite numerous policy interventions, funding agencies, strategic plans and consultations over the years, artists continue to experience many of the same challenges: unequal access to opportunities, funding disputes, gatekeeping, weak accountability and political patronage.   Since 1994...

AUDITION CALL: JOHANNESBURG-BASED YOUNG TOURING COMPANY 2026/27  A dynamic Young Touring Company based in Johannesburg is seeking versatile young performers to join its 2026/27 repertory touring season. The company stages a diverse repertoire of productions, including the works of William Shakespeare such as Romeo & Juliet, Othello, and Macbeth, alongside contemporary and classical theatre productions performed throughout Southern Africa and internationally. WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR? • Male and female performers under the age of 35 • Actors residing within a 10km radius of Johannesburg CBD (due to early call times and rehearsal schedules) • Passionate theatre practitioners with strong discipline and commitment • Performers who are confident working with Shakespearean text • Strong team players who thrive in an ensemble environment • Artists who can sing, dance/move, and act • Strong musical and vocal abilities are highly desirable and will be considered an advantage dur...

  The Creative Passport Encourages Creatives to Apply for PESP 7 Vacancies at the National Arts Council The Creative Passport encourages artists, cultural workers, researchers, administrators, graduates, and community practitioners across South Africa to apply for the recently announced President’s Employment Stimulus Programme (PESP 7) vacancies by the National Arts Council of South Africa. At a time when unemployment continues to affect many creatives, graduates, and cultural practitioners, these vacancies present an important opportunity for individuals who are passionate about the Cultural and Creative Industries to contribute meaningfully towards the development of the sector. The available vacancies include: 2x Arts Development Officers 1x Junior Arts Development Officer 1x Finance Officer 2x Call Centre and Office Administrators The Creative Passport believes that South Africa is home to an abundance of highly skilled and knowledgeable creatives who often remain overlooked d...

After the Dissolution: What Next for the National Arts Council? By Thami akaMbongo Manzana  The dissolution of the National Arts Council of South Africa Board by Minister Gayton McKenzie has sent shockwaves throughout the Cultural and Creative Industries. For some, it came as a relief. For others, it created anxiety and uncertainty. But perhaps the most important question now is not whether the decision was right or wrong. The question is: what happens next? At this moment, the sector does not need political spin, carefully crafted corporate language, or silence. It needs honesty. Brutal honesty. The creative sector has survived COVID-19, delayed funding cycles, administrative confusion, collapsing institutions, and years of uncertainty. Artists and organisations are not naïve. They understand that governance transitions are complicated. What frustrates the sector most is not necessarily delays — it is the absence of communication and clarity. The Creative Passport would like to of...

  DSAC Sector Clusters Must Account to the Sector They Represent By Thami akaMbongo Manzana On 30 March 2026, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture together with Gayton McKenzie launched the 17 DSAC Sector Clusters at Nirox Sculpture Park. The launch was accompanied by public declarations, photographs and promises of a new era of sector coordination, consultation and accountability within South Africa’s Cultural and Creative Industries. What also became public knowledge was that each cluster reportedly received R2 million from DSAC. That means approximately R34 million in public funds was allocated to these sector structures in the previous financial year. At a time when many artists, practitioners, organisations and cultural workers continue to face funding challenges, project uncertainty and institutional instability, it is only fair and democratic that the broader sector asks questions. These are not attacks. They are clarity-seeking questions rooted in transparency, account...

THE NATIONAL ARTS COUNCIL AT A CROSSROADS By Thami akaMbongo Manzana  29 May 2026 (Friday) is not just another administrative deadline in the Cultural and Creative Industries calendar. It is a moment of reckoning. A day when the sector will be watching, counting, and quietly asking whether the system meant to support it is functioning or merely surviving. Across South Africa, artists, organisations, producers, and cultural workers are waiting for the long-anticipated funding outcomes from the National Arts Council of South Africa. For many, these decisions are not abstract. They determine whether productions go to stage, whether teams are paid, whether stories are told, and whether the country’s cultural pipeline continues to breathe. Image: NAC Acting CEO,  Vincent Mashale   A sector holding its breath The expectation is simple - on 29 May 2026, the NAC must release its Annual Funding Outcomes. But as of today, 24 May 2026 (Sunday), a worrying silence is emerging in the ...

  Democracy Requires More Than Silence By Thami aka Mbongo Manzana South Africa proudly presents itself as a constitutional democracy founded on human rights, equality, freedom of expression, and public participation. Yet within the Cultural and Creative Industries, many artists, athletes, cultural practitioners, and creatives continue to feel unheard, excluded, and at times punished for speaking truth to power. This contradiction raises a serious question: can there truly be nation-building and social cohesion without honest dialogue? The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), which carries the constitutional responsibility of promoting social cohesion and nation-building, should be at the centre of creating democratic spaces where difficult but necessary conversations can happen openly and without fear. Image: Minister Gayton McKenzie   Freedom of Expression in the Creative Sector The South African Constitution protects Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Expression. The...