The Department of Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation condemns the disruption of the Mahika Mahikeng media launch scheduled for March 8 at Mmabatho Convention Centre. This was meant to be an information-sharing session with the media and the plans ahead for this highly anticipated event.
The Mahikeng community and the arts sector at large missed out on the opportunity to learn about the economic spin-offs and other benefits of hosting Mahika Mahikeng in their own backyard. It’s unfortunate that this event has not been staged for three years, and in the context of an already fragile economy and the COVID-19 pandemic, the arts sector has been hit hard.
We want to apologise profusely to the media that attended, for the inconvenience caused. The disruption happened despite MEC Kenetswe Mosenogi having met with more than six hundred community members and artists during the Imbizo at Mmabatho Convention Centre on February 23.
Apart from the artists booked for the main event, the Department has also created platforms in all four districts for up-and-coming artists to perform and receive a fee. The Department has also committed to procuring stage and sound facilities locally to support local businesses.
Disruptions of this nature not only affect government plans to roll out service delivery, but they also disadvantage ordinary hawkers who rely on events like Mahika Mahikeng for their livelihoods.
We urge our communities to find better ways of raising their concerns, and we remain committed to delivering an unforgettable Mahika Mahikeng experience.
