Cultural artists should be more than performers called in to entertain crowds at political rallies — they should be central to preserving heritage, developing rural tourism and creating sustainable livelihoods.
That is the vision behind a new dance and drama festival launched by Mthatha-based theatre veteran Khanyiso “Billy” Dakada, aimed at uncovering and nurturing talent across the OR Tambo district.
Through his Khanyiso Social Enterprise, Dakada has founded the OR Tambo Dance and Drama Festival, which will be hosted annually as part of OR Tambo Month celebrations in October and funded by the National Arts Council of SA.
No official date has yet been set for this year’s event.
“It is going to rotate around all the local municipalities within the OR Tambo district,” Dakada said.
“Most cultural festivals are hosted in Mthatha, but through this one I want it to reach rural areas where there is no cultural tourism.
“The idea is to develop talent where people live, without forcing them to come to the cities just to be seen.”
Born in Komani, Dakada has built a decades-long career in theatre as a writer, director and actor.
He is also known for mentoring several SA television stars, including Mthatha-born actor Jet Novuka and Scandal! actress Nondumiso Zweni.
He said many artists in the district were still being marginalised and used mainly as entertainment during political events, instead of being supported to build careers.
“In many cases, artists are only invited to open programmes for politicians.
“Even where festivals exist, most are organised and run by government instead of by the artists themselves,” he said.
Dakada believes the district’s rich natural landscape offers huge potential for cultural tourism if properly harnessed.
“We must take service delivery to where people are — in rural areas — and develop tourism in those spaces,” he said.
“The OR Tambo district has beautiful nodal points such as Mbotyi, Magwa Falls, Coffee Bay, Port St Johns and Mthatha Mouth.
“If you host festivals in these areas, you attract tourists, create jobs and expose the beauty of this region.”
Beyond tourism, Dakada said the festival would help nurture young people facing high unemployment and provide creative outlets for women affected by gender-based violence.
If you host festivals in these areas, you attract tourists, create jobs and expose the beauty of this region.
— Khanyiso “Billy” Dakada
He added that it would also promote cultural diversity by bringing together the traditions of the AmaMpondo, AbaThembu and AmaMpondomise communities.
Dakada was previously involved in establishing the Spatial Development Initiative Festival about 15 years ago, which later evolved into the popular Isingqisethu Cultural Festival in Port St Johns.
However, he said the festival had lost momentum after being taken over by government.
“It was meant to platform local artists at nodal points, but its budget is not growing and it has become stagnant,” he said.
“In this district, artists don’t have a festival that truly belongs to them.
“This one is strictly for local talent.
“We don’t need big headline acts from outside. We want to put OR Tambo on the cultural map — not only in the Eastern Cape, but nationally.”
Auditions for this year’s festival will be held on Monday at the Mthatha Community Arts Centre.
One of the performers at the launch, Elphia Mhlauli from the Manyanduba Cultural Group in KwaBhaca, praised the initiative, saying rural artists rarely had consistent platforms to showcase their work.
“Festivals are too few and far between for artists to make a living, especially for those of us in villages,” she said.
She added that more cultural programmes could help steer young people away from crime, drugs and teenage pregnancy.
“Imagine children going to school and then joining cultural groups in their communities after school,” Mhlauli said.
“On weekends they are performing at festivals. Who would be focused on crime then? No-one.”
