After a highly contested election, the Cultural and Creative
Industries Federation of South Africa (CCIFSA) has announced that the inaugural
council, board and administrative structures have been elected by the delegates
of CCIFSA’s Consultative and Elective conference.
The new office bearers were voted in through a highly
contested run at a historical CCIFSA elective conference that was held in March,
2015 in Bloemfontein. The elections were overseen by the Independent Electoral
Commission.
The new CCIFSA board includes practitioners, arts activists,
administrators and leaders from various sectors in the cultural and creative
industries.
The federation’s inaugural president is arts activist,
critically acclaimed actor and producer Tony Kgoroge who was nominated after a
vigorous ballot vote.
“We have much work ahead of us and the creation of CCIFSA is
a pronounced step in the right direction. The organising of the sectors is our
priority as a new board. Without healthy and functioning sectors, we have no
CCIFSA. Our immediate plan is to come up with programmes and influence policies
that will continue to protect and develop the creative industries and assist
the sectors to grow economically and otherwise,” says Kgoroge.
His office is deputised by prolific and legendary South
African musician Gezani Kobane, famously known by his stage name Penny Penny.
Phemelo Sediti serves as general secretary, deputised by Zwelibanzi Ndakane.
Dodo Moses Monamodi is the treasurer general and Andrea Dondolo the national
coordinator.
Sectorial office bearers include: Benjamin Mfaba –
Indigenous Wisdom; Professor Cosbie Mbele – Language and Publishing; Mamela
Nyamela – Performing Arts; David Dale – Audio Visual; Nkosazana Machete –
Cultural and Natural Heritage; Windy Mthembu – Education and Training; and Sheryl
Msomi – Visual Arts and Crafts.
It is the first time in South Africa’s history that the
creative sector will be represented by a single body. CCIFSA will enjoy
decision-making and bargaining powers in the issues that affect the cultural
and creative industries the most.
CCFISA will exert tangible influence over the notoriously
fragmented and unregulated sector, and will seek to influence and, in some
instances, author conversations around new policy issues such as tax structures
affecting art practitioners, mandating the levels of local content on TV or
radio, labour issues affecting the industry, and the administration of
royalties or syndication fees. The federation counts the Department of Art and
Culture as one of its strategic stakeholders and partners.
The new office bearers were installed as of March 25, 2015,
and will serve a four-year term.
For more on CCIFSA visit www.ccifsa.org.za;
follow on Twitter @ccifsa, and Facebook www.facebook.com/CulturalandCreativeIndustriesFederationsofSouthAfrica
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