DEMOCRACY BEGINS AT LOCAL LEVEL  By Thami AkaMbongo Manzana This weekend presents an important opportunity for all South Africans to take a simple but powerful step in shaping the future of our communities: register to vote or update your voting details. If you are not yet registered as a voter, use this weekend wisely and make sure your name is on the voters' roll. If you have moved and are currently living in a different area from where you originally registered, take the time to update your address so that you can vote in the correct voting district. Many citizens often focus their attention on national politics, yet the reality is that the quality of our daily lives is heavily influenced by decisions made at local government level. Roads, community facilities, libraries, arts centres, public spaces, local economic development, and many of the services that directly affect us are managed by municipalities. For years, many South Africans have argued that the traditional top-down ...

  A MOMENT THE CREATIVE SECTOR CANNOT AFFORD TO MISS By Thami AkaMbongo Manzana As the deadline of 19 June 2026 approaches for public submissions on the review of the Cultural Institutions Act 119 of 1998 , I am concerned that many artists, cultural practitioners, creative workers, community arts organisations, and cultural activists may not fully appreciate the significance of this process. This is not merely a technical legislative review. It is an opportunity to interrogate the very foundations of South Africa's cultural landscape and ask difficult questions about transformation, access, equity, representation, and the future of cultural development in our country. The Cultural Institutions Act was promulgated in 1998, during the early years of democracy. While it sought to provide governance and support for cultural institutions, nearly three decades later we must ask:  Has it achieved its transformation objectives? One of the most pressing questions is why most of South ...

The Pilgrimage Wins Special Jury Award at International Festival South African theatre continues to demonstrate its power, relevance, and global appeal as The Pilgrimage , presented by African Tree Productions, has been awarded the Special Jury Award at the inaugural Offer International Theatre Festival in Oman. The award marks another significant milestone for South African theatre on the international stage and serves as recognition of the creativity, resilience, and artistic excellence that continue to emerge from the country's independent theatre sector. In a congratulatory message to the company, the festival organisers wrote: "Congratulations on receiving the Special Jury Award for The Pilgrimage at the first edition of the Offer International Theatre Festival. It was an honour to host your outstanding production in Oman. Your performance enriched the festival programme and reflected the creativity, professionalism, and artistic excellence of South African theatre....

   Are We Celebrating Freedom or Remembering a Broken Promise? By Thami akaMbongo Manzana Every year on 16 June, politicians dust off their struggle speeches, lay wreaths at monuments, wear commemorative T-shirts, and tell us how brave the youth of 1976 were. And every year, I ask myself the same uncomfortable question: What exactly are we commemorating? Are we commemorating the courage of young people who stood against an oppressive state, or are we simply participating in an annual ritual that helps us avoid confronting the state of South Africa today? The youth of 1976 did not march for tenders. They did not march for blue lights. They did not march for government positions. They did not march for access to corruption. They marched because they believed they deserved dignity, opportunity, quality education, and freedom. Fifty years later, millions of young South Africans are still demanding exactly the same things. The language has changed. The slogans have changed. The hai...

  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...