The use of IFP colours on a government poster has angered KwaZulu-Natal artists, who claim that it gives the impression that the events it promotes are exclusively for artists who identify as IFP.
Sunday World has seen a gig guide poster featuring the updated logo in IFP colours. The gig guide states that the events began on February 12 and will conclude on March 23.
Among the events are a theatre festival, a film festival, and a maskadi music recording.
The artists expressed their concerns about the choice of colours, alleging that the logo and IFP colors suggest that the public purse is being used to promote the party’s events.
They also claim that they were unaware of these events because the province’s department of sports, arts, and culture (DSAC) was not transparent about the gig guide.
The gig guide was leaked
They spoke to Sunday World on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
One artist stated: “We are aggrieved because the KZN DSAC is hiding projects from us. This gig guide was leaked by one of the officials, and that’s when we got to know about it.
“We did enquire with the department; we even asked to be included in these events, but we were rejected. The officials told us that these are departmental events and artists have already been selected.”
Another artist explained: “We feel that by using these colours, they are indirectly telling us to stay away from their events; they are indirectly telling us that these are IFP events, not for KZN artists.
“Unfortunately, we cannot do anything because they are running the department and they do as they wish.”
Zwakele Mncwango, the province’s ActionSA leader, stated that he is not shocked by this.
“The problem is not necessarily the logo or IFP colours but a lack of accountability in KZN government,” said Mncwango.
“When you look at the poster, the first thing that comes to mind is IFP, so we’ve got to give credit to a designer.
“But the question is, do we really have to create logos as we go as the government? What informs that logo, and why was it created?
“Why do they have a different logo whereas there’s a government logo? Does this mean each and every department must have its own logo?”
GNU is failing black people
According to Mncwango, the government of national unity (GNU) has made matters worse, particularly for black people.
He said: “The fact is, black people are the majority of this country, and they are the ones who are mainly affected.
“These are the voters who gave the ANC, IFP, and MK Party power in the legislature; all these parties are now silent when their constituency is affected. It shows a lack of principle on them.”
The use of political party colours in government posters is not new, according to Tamsyn Colley, the DA’s deputy whip in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature.
“It depends who and how you look at it, but it is not new. Political parties have been doing this way before the GNU,” Colley said.
A request for comment from the department was not answered.
