The Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture has come under fire from the creative community following an announcement of the 2025 Mzansi Golden Economy (MGE) Open Call results.
Through targeted investments in important sectors of the creative economy, the MGE seeks to improve social cohesion and stimulate economic development by generating jobs.
“Applicants now need to move swiftly to submit their compliance documents,” according to McKenzie.
“The total value of approved projects is R109.4-million, which includes cultural and creative industries’ projects across various domains as well as touring ventures. We will publish a list of beneficiaries in three days.”
He also said that the Touring Ventures stream of the MGE has created opportunities for 19 organisations and practitioners, who will act as cultural ambassadors, travelling across nine countries and within South Africa to showcase local talent.
McKenzie added that the department plans to fund more projects during the current financial year.
However, this announcement has not been well-received by many in the arts sector.
Artists who applied but were not successful are crying foul, accusing the department of lacking transparency in its adjudication process.
Call for independent audit
Some have even called for an independent audit to ensure fairness in how the R109.4-million was allocated.
An insider within the department confirmed to Sunday World that unsuccessful applicants would only be formally notified towards the end of July.
“The minister’s statement is correct; successful applicants have been contacted. The department is now in the process of finalising communication with those who were declined,” the source said.
One frustrated artist, who spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing professional repercussions, said: “I applied but didn’t receive any letter, which I take as a rejection. I’m calling on the department to publicly release a complete list of beneficiaries.
“This is public money, and we deserve to know who received funding to ensure the process was fair and free of favouritism. An independent audit would be appreciated at this point in time.”
Prominent opera singer Sbongile Mngoma echoed these concerns.
Mngoma said: “I applied and assume I was rejected since I received no communication. Unfortunately, this isn’t my first rejection; it’s become predictable.
“We are not questioning the merit of those who were approved, but for the sake of transparency, we want to see the full list. It’s public money, after all.”
Longstanding concerns over fairness
The two artists’s sentiments reflect a broader frustration within the arts community about recurring patterns of rejection, especially among lesser-known artists and organisations.
The MGE, designed to support South Africa’s cultural economy, has frequently been criticised for being inaccessible to emerging creatives, with many arguing that the process favours established entities or those with connections within the sector.
The latest backlash reignites longstanding concerns over the fairness, accessibility, and governance of public funding in the creative industry.
Despite repeated calls for reform and transparency, many artists still feel sidelined and excluded from opportunities that are meant to uplift the sector broadly.
Questions were sent to the department, but it had not responded at the time of publication. This article will be updated once the department has provided answers.
