Gayton McKenzie’s first legal setback raises uncomfortable questions about power, loyalty, governance and the future of South Africa’s arts funding institution By Thami akaMbongo Manzana There is a moment in every political and institutional battle when the noise stops. No press conference. No victory lap. No angry statement. No dramatic social-media post. Just silence. And in the case of the National Arts Council (NAC), that silence is becoming louder than any statement could possibly be. Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie lost the first round of his legal battle over the dissolution of the NAC Council. Let us be precise. This is not the final judgment on whether the Minister's decision to dissolve the Council was ultimately lawful. The Gauteng High Court has, however, suspended the dissolution and ordered the Council to be reinstated pending the judicial review. The Minister has also been prohibited from appointing a replacement Council while that review is pen...

  THE OLD VOICES ARE GETTING LOUDER BECAUSE THE NEW VOICES ARE NO LONGER ASKING FOR PERMISSION By Thami akaMbongo Manzana There is something uncomfortable happening in South Africa's Cultural and Creative Industries. Something is shifting. And perhaps the most uncomfortable part is that the people who have historically controlled the microphone are beginning to realise that they no longer control the conversation. For decades, information within the Cultural and Creative Industries moved through established channels. Newspapers, magazines, broadcasters, institutions, conferences, universities, government structures and recognised industry bodies determined, to a large extent, what was important, who was credible, whose opinion mattered and which stories deserved attention. That world is changing. The microphone has been decentralised. The gatekeepers are losing their monopoly. And the new voices are not necessarily asking for permission to enter the room. They are building their ow...

  THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM GOVERNMENT REFUSES TO ADDRESS By Thami akaMbongo Manzana There is an uncomfortable conversation that the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) and many of its public entities have avoided for far too long. It is a conversation about Unsolicited Funding, Special Projects and Flagship Programmes . For years, artists, filmmakers, heritage practitioners, publishers, musicians, cultural organisations and creative entrepreneurs have fought over limited public funding through open calls. They submit lengthy applications, comply with strict eligibility criteria, wait months for adjudication, and then anxiously await public announcements. That is how public funding should work. Or so we are told. But there appears to be another world operating alongside the public one, a world that many ordinary practitioners know little about. A world of discretionary funding mechanisms, special allocations and flagship initiatives that are far less visible than the annual...

  A NIGHT OF LIGHT, HEALING AND MUSICAL EXCELLENCE WITH LISO THE MUSICIAN  There are performances that entertain, and then there are performances that transform. ISIBANE (The Light) , the latest theatrical music production by Liso the Musician , promises to be one of those unforgettable evenings where music, spirituality, storytelling and healing become one. On Saturday, 8 August 2026 at 19:00 , audiences are invited to the Malombo Theatre at the South African State Theatre in Pretoria to witness a production that speaks directly to the soul. More than a concert, ISIBANE is a deeply personal tribute to Liso's late daughter, Sikhanyiselwe Sesenkosi Sindo , whose name means "Her Light." From this profound loss emerges a powerful artistic offering that celebrates faith, resilience, hope and the enduring power of love. Accompanied by the Black Labone House Band and Eden Praise , Liso invites audiences on a spiritual and emotional journey unlike any other currently on South...