The North West Department of Health has been overwhelmed by calls from local artists and music producers some alleging that the Department has favoured Mzwakhe Mbuli in affording him a business deal to produce a Coronavirus song and thus sidelining local artists. Such allegations are far from the truth and the Department wish to set the record straight.
The truth is that the North West MEC for Health Madoda Sambatha recently came across Mr Mzwakhe Mbuli and challenged him to come up with a poem against Coronairus. The challenge was never based on any monetary attachment or business deal with the North West Department of Health. The MEC challenge was only on the basis of having seen other artists elsewhere in the Continent of Africa contributing to the fight against Coronavirus by using their creative ability without any monetary compensation.
The only issue raised with Mzwakhe Mbuli was that if such a song was to be produced then the song should have a message for a united front, awareness and precautionary measures for prevention against the spread of Coronavirus.
The Department therefore wish to emphasize that no payment was done to Mr Mzwakhe Mbuli for the song. It was simply a call by the MEC for Mzwakhe to play a humanitarian role by contributing his creativity for broad societal benefit.
The song is therefore Mr Mzwakhe Mbuli's sole effort and creativity and the publishing rights thereof are with him. The Department claims no credit for it.
The department calls other artists including local artists to emulate Mr Mzwakhe Mbuli by contributing to the fight against Coronavirus through their creative abilities and talents. The Department of Health however wish to state that the management of local artists lies with the Department of Arts and Culture who are the custodians of the arts industry in the Province. Any proposals for artistic creativity towards fighting Coronavirus should therefore be directed to them.
Enquiries:
Tebogo Lekgethwane
Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 082 929 9958
E-mail: tlekgethwane@nwpg.gov.za
