Programme director,
Members of the diplomatic corps,
Artists and performers,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is my great pleasure to welcome everyone present to a splendid evening of music, to this tribute concert to women in the music sector. This concert was conceived with the objective of paying tribute to the many women musicians who contributed to the body of South African music both in and out of the country, who flew the flag of democracy and popularised our struggle throughout the world. They did this creative work whilst earning a living and honing their skills.
We recognise their contribution in a multi-layered way, that is artistically, politically, economically, spiritually, socially and to the development of music and the country. We honour both the musicians that passed away and those who are here with us.
This will become an annual event which will tie up the events for Women’s Month as we are doing today. We have celebrated and commemorated many women’s events this month. Some of the recent events were:
- The inauguration of the Dulcie September Memorial Lecture at the University of Western Cape, honouring a struggle activist from Cape Town, who was assassinated at point blank range in March 1988 as she opened her offices in Paris.
- We honoured women stalwarts from the last century, Charlotte Maxeke, Lillian Ngoyi and Helen Joseph who played leading roles in their communities in awareness raising and in the fight against the pass-laws. Their graves have been declared national monuments.
- We also unveiled the design concept for the Sarah Bartmann Centre of Remembrance, which is being planned as repository for the Khoi and San communities and a place of learning and awareness raising.
- We have just completed an African Women Writer’s Symposium, which included the women writers from the Diaspora. It was stimulating with a frank exchange of ideas, challenges and information. The women are forming a network and will work together to establish a firm Pan-African women’s voice on the African continent.
In my interaction with the women musicians, they expressed the desire that:
- They unite to fast-track their empowerment and advancement
- They receive training and development opportunities
- That veteran artists offered to assist in mentoring young artists
- The women said that they wanted to use their skills and talents to help fight xenophobia, poverty and abuse of women and children
- Those women of all disciplines of the arts be acknowledged.
We appreciate their efforts and their willingness to organize themselves to support others and to help each other.
Tonight we want to acknowledge women who have made and are making a solid contribution to the arts in this country and in projecting our arts and culture to the world.
We are therefore acknowledging the following women artists in the music sector:
- Dorothy Masuka
- Thandi Klaasen
- Abigail Kubeka
- Nothembi Mkhwebane
- Mahotella Queens
- Mara Louw
- Irene Mawela
- Letta Mbulu
- Sylvia Mdunyelwa
We also honour the following artists in the music sector who are late:
- Dolly Rathebe
- Miriam Makeba
- Lebo Mathosa
- Busi Mhlongo
- Brenda Fassie
We honour the following women in theatre:
- Vaal Donald
- Rina Ninaberg
- Mary Twala
We also honour the following women in theatre who are late:
Roseline Morapeli
We honour the woman poet:
Gladys Thomas
We honour the woman novelist, Miriam Tlali.
We also honour the late woman writer, author and academic:
Elize Botha
We honour Sylvia Glasser for dance.
We honour the following women in the film industry and comedy:
- Lillian Dube
- Harriet Gavshon
We honour the late Daphney Hlomuka in the film and comedy industry
In the craft sector, we honour Noria Mabaso.
We honour the late Nesta Nala in the craft sector.
Finally in the visual arts, we honour:
Esther Mahlangu.
I urge everyone present to support our artists by buying their music, books, paintings, crafts and attending theatre and supporting our local films.
This is the one big way together we can grow our arts and culture industry.
With this wonderful and heartwarming tribute concert and awards to women artists we come to the close of Women’s Month August 2010.
Let us also give thanks, respect and honour to our sisters, the stalwarts who marched to the Union Buildings in 1956 and in whose journey we are still continuing until we pass the baton to our future generations.
Please enjoy the concert. Malibongwe!!!
I thank you
Source: Department of Arts and Culture
