From running up flagpoles to blowing trumpets, Nathi Mthethwa’s orchestra capture

Not content with the ridicule he attracted with his proposal to spend R22m on a 100 metre-high “monumental” South African flag in May – which had to be cancelled by the Presidency – Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa’s latest vanity project is a new national orchestra at a cost of R30m. Not that the idea of a national orchestra is not a wonderful thought – if we were Denmark, perhaps. But as long as the country is battling such large-scale unemployment, poor infrastructure and failing power stations, the lack of adequate schools and hospitals, no rail service to speak of…. the list continues…how can we possibly motivate such a luxury at the expense of far more pressing societal needs? And as Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra CEO Louis Heyneman says: ‘We can’t afford it and we don’t need it. I think it’s a folly, a personal folly of Minister Nathi Mthethwa. There are no auditions.. They just invite whoever is on their list of players. They invite players totally at random to come and play for this orchestra. It’s a total duplication and a waste of money.’ Article courtesy of the Daily Friend. – Sandra Laurence

Nathi Mthethwa strikes the wrong chord

By Staff Writer

Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa faces a backlash from the public over a plan to establish a R30m national orchestra. The proposal for the new national orchestra is due to be announced today.

Details of the plan were revealed in a Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra Report 2021/2022. According to Daily Maverick, the formation of a national philharmonic orchestra was included in the revised white paper on arts, culture and heritage approved by the cabinet in August 2018.

Speaking on Power 98.7, Mzansi Orchestra CEO Bongani Tembe said the orchestra would benefit musicians. ‘The idea of a national orchestra is not new for SA. We are reviving the national orchestra. 

‘The implementation and establishment of the Mzansi National Philharmonic Orchestra recognises the unique opportunity that the national orchestra represents for the transformation of the orchestral music in SA,’ said Tembe.

The white paper stated the department’s intention to “establish national theatre, dance, orchestral companies with youth components, each resident in a different province cross-subsidised by national, provincial and metro funding”.

Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra CEO Louis Heyneman said the project was unnecessary.

The country already had too many training programmes that develop young musicians.

‘We can’t afford it and we don’t need it. I think it’s a folly, a personal folly of Minister Nathi Mthethwa.’

He said the plan was a waste of money, calling it ‘orchestra capture’.

‘There are no auditions.. They just invite whoever is on their list of players. They invite players totally at random to come and play for this orchestra. It’s a total duplication and a waste of money.’  

The R30m proposal comes in the aftermath of Mthethwa’s plans to spend R22m on a 100metre-high “monumental” flag. Comments on social media about the proposed orchestra were very mixed.

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