For immediate release Dimbaza Cultural and Creative Arts Festival Dimbaza Shack Theatre Launch For the longest time Mandisi Sindo and his company Khayelitsha Art Schools and Rehabilitation Centre - KASI RC have been working towards the betterment of the art sector in the townships and in the rural areas.  After graduating in Community Theatre Practice at the University of Cape Town in 2011, Sindo took a decision to go back to the townships to nurture, train, empower and inspire young upcoming creative artists in theatre and performance. He began by implementing and innovating the first ever Shack Theatre MAKUKHANYE ART ROOM in 2012, and later in 2017 innovated his second Shack Art School and Theatre - KASI RC which became the mother body of his innovations.  To prove the importance of his idea and innovation, Sindo continue to scoop awards in theatre for his critical thinking and methodology behind the innovation of Shack Theatre in South Africa.  In 2017 he received the...

SECTOR CLUSTERS OR SECTOR SILENCING? QUESTIONS SOUTH AFRICA MUST ASK NOW As the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC), under Minister Gayton McKenzie, prepares to launch the 17 Sector Clusters on Monday, 30 March 2026 , a moment that should signal progress instead raises a storm of uncomfortable, necessary questions. At face value, this initiative appears structured, funded, and timely. But beneath the surface, the timing, process, and participation gaps reveal something far more troubling — a sector being reorganised without its full voice . Why launch now — and for whom? Why is this launch happening days before the close of the financial year ? Is this truly about sector development — or is it about meeting financial compliance deadlines ? If each of the 17 Sector Clusters has been allocated R2 million , with an initial tranche of approximately R1.2 million already disbursed , what exactly has been achieved so far? Where are the reports justifying the first tranche? Who has ev...

Why DSAC Appointments Must Now Be Closely Watched This is not a sponsored article. I am fully aware that members of the Patriotic Alliance and supporters of Gayton McKenzie will dismiss this as an attack — but the issues raised here are real, and they are not going away, hulle baiza . In a telling turn of events, the controversial Facebook post by Meshe Habana — Deputy Secretary General of the Patriotic Alliance — has now been deleted. This follows growing scrutiny, public questioning, and the circulation of concerns amplified by our publication: https://www.thecreativepassport.co.za/2026/03/political-influence-public-recruitment.html But while the post may be gone, the questions it raised remain firmly in place .                   Image Source:  Facebook Deletion Is Not Accountability Deleting a post does not erase the implications behind it. The original message encouraged applicants to submit their personal details directly to a polit...

When Recruitment Becomes Political: Are We Witnessing a New Form of Capture? This is not a sponsored piece. I already know PA members and supporters of Gayton McKenzie will say this is an attack — but the truth does not become an attack just because it is inconvenient, hulle baiza . In a constitutional democracy, public trust in state institutions rests heavily on one principle: fairness .  Nowhere is this more critical than in the recruitment of public servants. The expectation is simple — that positions in government are filled through transparent, merit-based processes that serve the public interest, not political agendas. Yet, recent developments involving the Patriotic Alliance raise uncomfortable questions. A social media post by Deputy Secretary General Meshe Habana encouraged applicants to submit their details — including full names and positions applied for — directly to her after applying through official channels.  On the surface, this may appear administrative or ...

  An Institution in Crisis, A Sector Demanding Accountability By Thami akaMbongo Manzana On Monday, 23 March 2026, the ongoing staff strike at the National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC) reaches Day 6. Six days of halted operations. Six days of uncertainty. Six days of growing concern across the Cultural and Creative Industries. But more importantly: Six days of unanswered questions. Context: A Crisis That Has Been Building This moment did not emerge overnight. Following the presentation by National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (NEHAWU) before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture, serious concerns were raised regarding staff dissatisfaction at the NAC. Since then: • Formal communication has been sent to the Acting CEO and Council • Public calls for accountability have been made • Sector formations such as TORO NATION & TOWNSHIP & RURAL CREATIVE NETWORK have raised alarms • Arts organisations have called for urgent engag...

The NAC Staff Strike Affects YOU A Call to Beneficiaries and Stakeholders of the National Arts Council By Thami akaMbongo Manzana The ongoing staff strike at the National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC) is not an isolated internal matter. It is not just about employees and management. It affects you. Directly. Immediately. Personally. If you are part of South Africa’s Cultural and Creative Industries, this moment demands your attention.   Image Source: Mandisi "Dr Disi" Sindo If You Are a Beneficiary — You Are Already Affected Let us be clear and direct. If you are a PESP 6 beneficiary who has received your first tranche and submitted — or are preparing to submit — your progress report: You are affected by the strike. If you have lodged an appeal for PESP 6 and are still waiting for an outcome: You are affected by the strike. If you applied for the Annual Arts Organisation Support Funding (AOSF) , with outcomes expected around 31 March 2026: You are affected by the strik...