King of kwaito Arthur Mafokate’s company, Roadshow Marketing, is once again in the spotlight after being approved to receive R1.8-million from the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture under the 2025/2026 Mzansi Golden Economy (MGE) funding cycle.
Gayton McKenzie, the Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture, announced the MGE results in parliament last week.
The official release of the list of successful applicants followed the announcement.
This has sparked outrage and disappointment within the creative industry, particularly among artists who feel that government funding is unfairly distributed repeatedly to the same individuals and entities.
Adding fuel to the fire, Sunday World can reveal that several deregistered companies and entities non-compliant with tax and regulatory obligations have also been approved for funding by the department.
Alarmingly, some of these companies have no established presence in the arts or creative industries, raising serious concerns about the integrity of the selection process.
Unfair and demoralising
One industry veteran who asked to remain anonymous was not happy about Mafokate receiving the funding.
“Arthur Mafokate has been receiving government funding from various entities, including the City of Johannesburg, the Gauteng sport, arts, and culture department, the National Arts Council, and the National Lotteries Commission,” said the artist.
“We must not forget that Mafokate was previously implicated in the misappropriation of funds, and his assets were even attached by the Special Investigating Unit.
“Yet here we are, seeing his company once again positioned to receive millions. How does this happen when so many deserving and emerging artists are struggling for support?”
Another artist weighed in: “Minister Gayton McKenzie promised a new dawn for artists, but these developments show that it’s still business as usual.
“How does one person keep benefiting while the rest of us are left to hustle for scraps? This is not only unfair; it’s demoralising for the entire industry.”
Mafokate defended his company’s funding approval.
“We applied through the official department MGE process, met all the stipulated requirements, and were approved on merit,” said Mafokate.
“All the legal matters relating to previous funding have been resolved, and there are no current findings of wrongdoing against me or my company.”
Transparency in financial dealings
He added that Roadshow Marketing follows strict compliance measures.
“We maintain full transparency in our financial dealings, adhere to rigorous financial controls, and submit regular reports in line with audit and funding requirements.
“Every project we undertake contributes to job creation and opportunities within the creative sector. Our record speaks for itself.”
Despite Mafokate’s assurances, the broader creative community is demanding greater transparency and accountability from the department.
Questions persist about the fairness of the funding adjudication process, especially when non-compliant and deregistered entities continue to be favoured over emerging talent that is genuinely active in the arts sector.
We sent questions to the department, but at the time of publication, we received no response.
