A young gifted rural poet is crying foul, saying the provincial government is overlooking poets when it comes to live performance tenders during official functions.

He said he had had enough of government’s one-sidedness when it came to awarding performance tenders during official functions

Tuwani Freddy Mufamadi (32) of Ha Mashau-Bodwe outside Louis Trichardt said he had tried all routes, even to the extent of writing to former President Mbeki and Premier Moloto about the plight of poets in this country. Both offices advised him to register on databases of the different government departments and municipalities, which he did. This was back in 2007, but nothing has come out of his propositions.

“I am fast losing hope and I even regret even having registered in the first place. I just wasted my time and energy, which I would have used for some other meaningful activities that would benefit me,’ he said. “We are taken for granted and people do as they wish about our art. People have got to change their mindsets and take us seriously like they do with musicians,” he said.

Still clutching a copy of the reply from both offices, Mufamadi said luck had been evading him, as he had received no offer or invitation to send a quotation. “This is driving me mad as I see other artists prospering and benefitting from performances during official functions while I starve. Let government look at us equally as artists,” he said.

Mufamadi said he failed to understand why only musicians were paid for performances during government functions whereas the other traditional groups and poets were only given food for all their efforts.

He said he was very disturbed when the Premier visited their area recently. “I was billed to appear at the function and I had prepared a special poem for the Premier, but the local leadership decided to omit my name without valid reasons,” he said.

He said poets like Zolani Mkiva had the privilege of travelling with the president, singing his praises, but the local premier did not have one.

“Our premier is a great leader who should be praised for the wonderful job he is doing. Here I am, ready to serve,” he said.

The chairperson of the Vhembe District Music Forum, The Bishop Roxley Masevhe said artists, including poets, should join arts unions that would assist them in signing contracts and securing gigs for them. He said he was worried that there were still departments that did not pay artists, be they traditional dancers or poets, after they had performed at functions.

“Government is preaching job creation and these people are creating jobs for themselves, but they are not being paid by the same government,” he said. Masevhe said he should contact him and would be assisted in conducting his business in a professional way.

Masevhe can be reached at 072 985 2017.