Listen to a highly condensed version of the discussion on 23rd October at the Masambe Theatre. Recorded and edited by Nigel Vermaas and aired on Bush Radio’s Sakhisizwe arts edition.
On 23 October the South African Cultural Policy Network held a Public Forum at the Masambe Theatre, Baxter. What should we do with the art of monstrous men? There has been much international debate about the “monstrous men” in art, movies, television, and music in the age of #MeToo movement.
The South African arts industry has its own ‘monstrous men’.
Artist
Zwelethu Mthethwa is serving eighteen years in jail for murdering sex
worker, Nokupila Kumalo; Mbongeni Ngema faces a number of allegations of
sexual harassment. And Welcome Msomi has recently been found guilty of
having stolen R8m from the Living Legends fund.
Should we separate the art from the artist?
Should
Sarafina and other works by Ngema – and Ngema himself –be banned from
our theatres? And what about our Rolling Stones albums, Woody Allen
DVDS? Etc etc.
A panel consisting of poet & cultural activist
Malika Ndlovu, Stellenbosch university transformation officer Babalwa
Gusha and gender activist & academic Amanda Gouws grappled with this
complex topic. The forum was facilitated by another Stellenbosch
University academic Ncebakazi Mnukwana. Tina Schouw also features in the
audio.
Music, all of which is made by so-called monstrous men has
been added, including Miles Davis, one of the greatest musicians of the
20th Century and also an abuser of women.
The actual forum lasted about 90 minutes so obviously there was a lot of important stuff that is not included.
Thanks to Mike van Graan and the SA Cultural Policy Network for keeping these conversations going.
The above text is taken from Nigel’s introduction of the recording.
Catch Nigel Vermaas every week with Connected to Jazz (Tuesdays 8pm) and during Sakhisizwe’s arts edition (Fridays from 12pm) via 89.5FM or www.bushradio.co.za
International Women’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. International Women’s Day first emerged from the activities of labour movements at the turn of the twentieth century in North America and across Europe.
Since those early years, International Women’s Day has assumed a new global dimension for women in developed and developing countries alike. The growing international women’s movement, which has been strengthened by four global United Nations women’s conferences, has helped make the commemoration a rallying point to build support for women’s rights and participation in the political and economic arenas.
Bush Radio 89.5 FM is inviting interested individuals and organisations to submit programme application proposals to develop volunteer radio programmes under the following broad subject areas:
Children
Youth
Aged / seniors
Citizen’s Education
Arts and Culture
Gender
Disability
World Music
Africa
Media
Health
Sport
Technology
Programme proposals should have a specific aim, a defined target audience and be focused on specific issues/themes under the subject area.
No previous broadcasting experience is required to submit a proposal as Bush Radio will provide the necessary training and support should your proposal be selected for development.
What are we looking for in your proposal?
Potential – not only in ideas, but in people.
Programming produced by groups, not individuals
Local content and roots in the listening community
A diversity of grassroots voices, languages and accents from all over Cape Town
Bush Radio’s new programme; The Salon is a sexy, sincere and playful hangout session between three friends that discuss the Queer Capetonian experience. Moving through LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex) content, introducing new queer voices that laugh, play and get serious about difficult topics to broaden the perspectives that restrict the human rights of LGBTI community with compassion and acceptance.
We are hoping the audience includes everyone within the LGBTI community as well as those that stand outside of it with curiosity or disapproval.
The programme is designed to break down stereotypes and negative ideas about the LGBTI community, and aims to shatter negative misconceptions by including those that have them into its audience. There is no us vs. them, rather a movement towards an us, that is all inclusive regardless of sexual orientation.
The Salon is hosted by Myles Heneke, Sarah Summers and Sizo Mahlangu.
Tune into The Salon, Wednesdays from 8pm on 89.5FM or via www.bushradio.co.za
For more information on The Salon or any other programmes on 89,5FM drop an mail to the Programme Integrator
Read about Africa’s first original LGBTI programme by Bush Radio:
The past September school holidays saw Bush Radio host a very successful Media Kidocracy Konfrence (MKK2013) – 22 to 27 September 2013. This was the 13th conference which drew young people from Bontheheuwel to as far away as Germany, participating in various discussions and productions around the theme “the role of media in democracy“.
The conference took place at the beautiful Mizpah Conference Centre in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve near Grabouw.
Team 1 of the photography group dealt with sexism and sexist stereotypes
Besides plenary sessions which dealt with media literacy, gender and elections, the conference also included visits to various media outlets around Cape Town (radio, television, print and online) and a special “give back to the community” outreach session at Agape 2 – home for disabled and abandoned children. The conference also included lifeskill sessions on active citizenship and substance abuse as well as daily outside broadcasts from Grabouw.
Team 2 of the photography group dealt with nature and pollution
The conference programme closed with what delegates always consider a highlight; the intensive production workshops which this year again included: television, radio, online, print, photography as well as two new productions; t-shirt and poster printing and a stage drama.
A special thanks goes to all the Bush Radio Children’s Radio Education Workshop (CREW) facilitators and volunteers as well as the Bush Radio staff and trainees who provided the logistical support for the conference.
Bush Radio staff checking out “Media on the Move” – the newspaper produced by MKK2013 delegates
Goucher College’s Eric Singer speaking with a Bush Radio intern
Yesterday (21 January 2013) Bush Radio hosted students from Goucher College in the United States of America.
The group was accompanied by their Political Science and International Relations lecturer, Eric Singer.
The visit was part of the students’ three-week journey researching about South Africa’s history, political and social dynamics.
“This is our third week here; so far we have met with the media, activists, farm workers and street vendors to get a better understanding of the complexity of changes facing South Africa” Singer said.
The group found out how ethnicity, culture, class and gender are involved in society’s ability to solve the country’s social challenges.
“The students are aged between 19 and 23, most have never been outside of their home country, and were shocked that some of the problems they faced back home were the same in South Africa” Singer added.
Singer said that what they have learnt in South Africa was that creating change is not about drafting legislation or forking out money, it is about communities creating space for social development.