The Sunday News
Raisedon Baya
SOME years back the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe engaged Doves and convinced the funeral company to create a package for artistes. Doves agreed to create a funeral policy for artistes. If my memory serves me well the package only asked artistes to pay a once-off $50 subscription and that would cover their funeral. During the announcement of this deal the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) was really excited and proud to have brokered this kind of deal for local artistes. They saw it as a great development (and it was) especially for our struggling artistes who were having challenges in subscribing to ordinary policies that required monthly subscriptions. So, a $50 once-off payment was a deal sent from Heaven! However, artistes didn’t see it that way and this was evidenced by their response. In the end very few artistes took the deal. Disappointed the funeral company shelved the deal. And the consequence is that many artistes continued to have challenges with both medical and funeral policies. They can’t pay monthly subscriptions because many have no regular income streams.
I brought out the funeral deal because it was one ideal package that could have cushioned artistes but they never saw its importance. Had there been proper structures and unity of purpose that deal could still be on the table for artistes. So, the reality continues to be the same. The reality is that artistes do not have medical aid. When they fall sick, they struggle for medical attention. And when some die it is their relatives who struggle to bury them.
There are so many stories, written and not written, about artistes falling on hard times — falling ill and dying painful deaths. Recently, Gringo was hospitalised and there was a public call to assist him. Nelson Chamisa visited Gringo. Pokello Nare actually paid for Gringo’s operation. Then the First Lady, Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa, paid him a visit when he was discharged from hospital and even donated some foodstuffs. Gringo was the lucky one, one of the few that the public felt compelled to help. But there are many who do not receive the kind of public compassion that Gringo received. There are many who have suffered in silence and silently went to their graves without any assistance, without even the media talking about them. A few names come to mind. Micah from Amakokorokoza. Sizanani Ndlovu who had a promising career as a musician. Pretty Xaba, the actress and many others. I could give you a long list of names.
When this happens, the immediate response is always artistes are careless. Artistes don’t know how to plan. They live beyond their means. They are reckless. Artistes this and artistes that. But the truth never really come out. For example, when Gringo was looking for help the loud noise was that piracy had robbed him of a lot of money. (Of course, piracy is stealing but they were not stealing from Gringo). First we need to understand that Gringo is and was an actor in that comedy series. He didn’t own the drama series but just performed in it. He was not even the writer. The writer didn’t even own the copyrights to the final product as it was and is still a ZBCtv property. Yes. The drama series is wholly owned by the broadcaster. So, any piracy that happened did not directly prejudice Gringo but the broadcaster itself.
The truth here, and we are not saying it loud enough, is that ZBCtv was not paying artistes who were the content creators enough. Most artistes went on TV for fame and ZBCtv took advantage of that. (This needs to change). And it’s not just ZBCtv who is paying peanuts or not paying at all. Other broadcasters are not paying artistes as well. As we write Zimura is having challenges collecting royalties from broadcasters and there is nothing to protect artistes from this exploitation. Let’s be honest. There are no meaningful audiences for theatre. There are no readers and buyers of literature. No meaningful sales for most musicians except the big artistes like Jah Prayzah, Macheso, Winky D and others. So, it is really unfair to talk about artistes squandering money that they never have. The truth is there is no money to squander in the sector. So why are we quick to say musicians who never made any sales badly planned their lives? Let’s tell the truth, and shame the devil. The sector does not pay. Simple.
So, the best way to save the sector is not to donate when artistes fall sick or die. Support by buying their work. By attending their shows. Support them the best you can. Government can support by creating an environment where the arts can flourish. Environment here could mean a lot of things. Policies that promote arts as business. Legislation that makes doing business in the sector easy and uncomplicated. Creating structures that promote a realistic food chain within the sector. There is a lot that needs to be done for genuine artistes to flourish and reap the rewards of their talent.
Once artistes start reaping proper rewards, we won’t be talking about artistes asking for donations to cover medical bills or funerals. We will have artistes living the way other successful artistes in other countries are living.
