Artists have a mandate to be critical of political power

With the final push for votes happening with a few days left until elections, many artists and famous persons are lending their names to political parties through a series of rallies and strategic appearances. Musical acts such as Freshly Ground and actors such as Zolisa Xavula (Jason from SABC’s Generations) have made appearances for the DA and the ANC respectively. Having a celebrity perform at your political event has become a means of pulling crowds for political parties and a means of income for those within the arts, culture and entertainment sector.

But the question is: Are they, with the elevated level of influence they hold, aligning themselves with a political party?

The argument seems to be twofold. On the one hand, artists are citizens with rights just like everyone else. But on the other hand, artists are said to have a mandate to ‘be a mirror to society’ exposing the good and evil within.

There are many who argue that artists performing or appearing at political events is the same as a lawyer going to court or a doctor going to his surgery - it is a merely a job. It is argued further that being high profile does not exclude the fact that this is a ‘nine to five’ for them, and as one artist said at a recent African Arts Institute talk on artists aligning with political parties – “a gig is a gig”.

Margie Orford, a journalist and crime novel author, argues that there is sometimes a need to separate “one’s work from one’s politics”.

This can be coupled with the fact that those within the arts and entertainment industry are still citizens with rights, which include various civil and political rights. This is not a right that is excluded by their involvement in their chosen professions. Ukhona Mlandu, a consultant, writer and performer, says that artists do not transcend the issues that are faced within society and thus, like others, need a political platform on which to engage with these matters.

This idea that they are not above “bread and butter issues” can be coupled with the mandate that artists have to bring to light the issues facing society. Mlandu argues that it is in the interest of artists to become involved in politics the way they were during the apartheid era that had the presence of forms of art such as “protest theatre”.

The idea of “art activism” as a form of bringing about political accountability needs to be seen within context and one must remember the fact there is still a need for art to engage with politics. In aligning themselves with political parties artists can utilise their involvement and their “star power” to bring about change.

However, their presence within the political realm can be a form of agitation to those within power. There is a need for artists to produce material that is independent of the various political entities and critical of the way in which the government runs. This was an idea that was greatly seen within the apartheid area.

The new song “Mr President” by Sizwe Mpofu Walsh is an example of this ‘artistic cage rattling’. The song highlights the discontent of Mpofu Walsh at the “tyranny” of President Zuma saying, “Mr President your time is up”. In a City Press article, Mpofu Walsh says he wrote the song to “re-awaken the silent majority”. Mpofu Walsh’s father is heavily involved with the EFF.

Art can be used as a means of highlighting social grievances within society and this is the role that many artists feel they should play when it comes to politics.

Orford argued during her address at the African Arts Institute Debate that artists who had historically aligned themselves with the ANC have increasingly become quieter and quieter often finding their voices when they left, or lapsing into complete silence if they remained within the party.

She said that during apartheid there was no space for “art for arts sake” and even in today’s society some art needs to speak to the issues.

Art practitioners have called for the need to engage with political parties and force them to sort out their policies. Kurt Egelhof, writer, producer, director and actor, argues that artists need to “occupy” politics and infiltrate parties in order to ensure that they are doing what they are supposed to do.

One thing artists do agree upon is that they have a mandate to show the shortcomings of political parties and challenge the status quo. There is a belief that those within the creative community have a role in the post election period to hold government accountable, outside of endorsing party manifestos and attending rallies, no matter their political beliefs.