Gauteng govt has spent more than R16 million supporting international artists

JOHANNESBURG - The Gauteng government has spent more than R16 million supporting international artists over the past five years.

The provincial government has supported nine international acts over this period, with the most expensive event being Dru Hill's all-white experience in September this year.

This has been revealed by Arts and Culture MEC Matome Chiloane in a legislature response to questions from the Democratic Alliance (DA).

The DA's Gauteng spokesperson on arts and culture, Kingsol Chabalala, says the party is concerned these events have not proven to contribute to the development of local artists.

“The DA believes this money could have been better spent supporting our local musicians and athletes, many of whom struggle to make ends meet. Additionally, these funds could have been allocated to grassroots initiatives and programmes aimed at discovering and nurturing local talent in Gauteng's arts and sports sectors.

“The DA is not opposed to our province hosting international artists; however, we believe that when government spends public money on artists, the priority must be to support local and upcoming artists who desperately require support to survive.”