Mxolisi Dukwana, the Free State Provincial Premier, has broken his silence about recent allegations that Macufe has been sold and instead, the government is supporting the Lemo Fest.

Macufe is the flagship programme of the provincial Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation and has been in existence since 1997. It attracts thousands of people from all around the country to Bloemfontein each year. Since its existence, Macufe did not take place for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But it seems the festival will not take place in 2023 also, due to reasons which are yet to be established.

Dukwana, during his keynote address at the provincial launch of Transport Month, touched on the burning issue of Macufe. He has refuted claims that the government has sold Macufe but did not say whether the festival will take place before the end of the year. He said there is no reason for Macufe to be held if it doesn’t fulfil its mandate.

He mentioned one of the mandates Macufe has to fulfil, is to give local artists a spotlight and enhance their talents. “There is no point in having the festival for a week or two if local talent is not going to benefit in the long run. We book you for one show, pay you R20 000 then what?”

He added they want to position Macufe in a way which will benefit the whole of the province. Talent for the shows will be outsourced from all over the province and the local artists will be paired with the national artists on the main stages. Macufe remains a priority for the Free State Provincial Government. 

Dukwana’s spokesperson, Sello Dithebe, recently refuted allegations that Dukwana has authorised a portion of the Macufe budget to be diverted to salaries. “The internal reprioritisation by the department has identified a portion of Macufe's budget, to fund the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) concluded at the Public Service Bargaining Council (PSCBC), which provinces are expected to fund. This has yet to be approved by the Executive Council.”

OFM News/Tshehla Koteli