The sport, arts and culture department faces another backlash from the public over its plan to establish a R30m national orchestra.
The department reportedly set aside R30m for the establishment of a national philharmonic orchestra and it is due to be announced on Thursday.
Details of the plan were revealed in a Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra Report 2021/2022.
Speaking on Power 98.7, Mzansi Orchestra CEO Bongani Tembe said the orchestra would benefit musicians.
“The idea of a national orchestra is not new for SA. We are reviving the national orchestra.
“The implementation and establishment of the Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra recognises the unique opportunity that the national orchestra represents for the transformation of the orchestral music in SA," said Tembe.
According to the Daily Maverick, the formation of a national philharmonic orchestra was included in the revised white paper on arts, culture and heritage approved by the cabinet in August 2018.
The white paper stated the department’s intention to “establish national theatre, dance, orchestral companies with youth components, each resident in a different province cross-subsidised by national, provincial and metro funding”.
Speaking on CapeTalk, Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra CEO Louis Heyneman said the project was unnecessary.
The country already had too many training programmes that develop young musicians.
“We can’t afford it and we don’t need it. I think it’s a folly, a personal folly of [minister] Nathi Mthethwa.”
He said the plan was a waste of money, calling it “orchestra capture”.
“There are no auditions done. They just invite whoever is on their list of players. They invite totally at random players to come and play for this orchestra. It’s a total duplication and a waste of money.”
‘Committed to wasting money’: arts department’s plan of a R30m orchestra gets mixed reaction
Image: Veli Nhlapo/ File photo
The sport, arts and culture department faces another backlash from the public over its plan to establish a R30m national orchestra.
The department reportedly set aside R30m for the establishment of a national philharmonic orchestra and it is due to be announced on Thursday.
Details of the plan were revealed in a Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra Report 2021/2022.
Speaking on Power 98.7, Mzansi Orchestra CEO Bongani Tembe said the orchestra would benefit musicians.
“The idea of a national orchestra is not new for SA. We are reviving the national orchestra.
“The implementation and establishment of the Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra recognises the unique opportunity that the national orchestra represents for the transformation of the orchestral music in SA," said Tembe.
According to the Daily Maverick, the formation of a national philharmonic orchestra was included in the revised white paper on arts, culture and heritage approved by the cabinet in August 2018.
The white paper stated the department’s intention to “establish national theatre, dance, orchestral companies with youth components, each resident in a different province cross-subsidised by national, provincial and metro funding”.
Speaking on CapeTalk, Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra CEO Louis Heyneman said the project was unnecessary.
The country already had too many training programmes that develop young musicians.
“We can’t afford it and we don’t need it. I think it’s a folly, a personal folly of [minister] Nathi Mthethwa.”
He said the plan was a waste of money, calling it “orchestra capture”.
“There are no auditions done. They just invite whoever is on their list of players. They invite totally at random players to come and play for this orchestra. It’s a total duplication and a waste of money.”
Pointless, senseless, ridiculous: Cosatu slams Mthethwa’s R22m flag
The R30m proposal comes in the aftermath of Mthethwa's plans to spend R22m on a 100m-high “monumental” flag in May.
The department had budgeted R22m to install the flag as part of its national monumental flag project, saying the flag would serve as a national landmark and tourist attraction.
The installation of the flag was estimated at R17m while geotechnical studies cost another R5m.
The project was labelled a “vanity project” by the Congress of SA Trade Unions and put on hold for review amid a public uproar.
On social media, many expressed mixed reaction to the proposal.
Here is a snapshot of some of the reactions:
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