Gayton McKenzie skips Mapaputsi’s memorial service
Minister of the Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture, Gayton McKenzie faces criticisms for not attending the memorial service of the legendary musician Mapaputsi, real name Sandile Ngwenya.
The Kwaito legend died last week, and he was honoured by fans and colleagues in the industry.
Artists who attended the memorial service that took place at Eyethu Shopping Centre in Soweto reported that music legends were not happy with Minister Gayton’s absence.
“We all know the focus has shifted from kwaito singers and it’s on pop, amapiano, Afrobeats and other genres. Some of the artists have two decades without setting foot on stage to perform and most rely on the amaR350 (social relief grant). They are struggling.”
“The deputy minister who was here said kwaito singers will be recognised, but we know it’s just sweet air coming out of his mouth,” said one source.
Renowned music producer Squire Arnold Nododile, also known as Squire-4-Hyre said, “If the department supported the initiative on an ongoing basis, Mapaputsi would probably still be with us today.”
“We have programmes that can solve our problems, but the department needs to provide the platform for us to engage. They cannot create solutions for us from boardrooms without consulting us about our challenges and proposed solutions.”
