Arts Dept unmoved over ban on SA caused by Miss SA furore

THE Department of Arts and Culture is unfazed over the decision by the Puebla International Literature Festival to ban South African writers, questioning their relevance in the creative arts world.

The festival, set to take place in Mexico from October 4 to 6, is expected to host renowned authors, emerging writers, literary enthusiasts and cultural aficionados from Africa, Latin America, Europe and Asia.

But on Thursday the festival’s organisers issued a statement saying that South Africa would no longer be the country in focus where its rich literary tradition was to be a central point of discussion.

They cited the alleged victimisation of Chidimma Adetshina, a contestant in the Miss South Africa pageant who withdrew from the contest following controversy over her citizenship, as the reason for banning South Africans.

According to the organisers, Adetshina was a victim of a climate of mob rule aided by the state apparatuses.

“We cannot in good conscience honour a country as a focal point of our celebration when it is embroiled in such profound injustices as has been gathering momentum following the Miss South Africa pageantry,” it read.

While the organisers also slammed the silence of many in the cultural sphere on developments in the pageant, they said the move was not a rejection of the rich literary heritage and the courageous writers, poets and artists of South Africa.

“Instead it is a statement against the current state of affairs that contradicts the values we hold dear.”

The Home Affairs Department found that Adetshina’s mother had allegedly been involved in identity fraud.

Arts and Culture Department spokesperson Cassiday Rangata Jacobs expressed surprise yesterday at the festival’s existence and action.

“Prior to this alleged festival cancelling whatever it is they think they have cancelled, we had never heard of them. They have not previously done anything or achieved anything that we are aware of. If any South Africans are affected by the matter, we have not heard,” he said.

Jacobs also cautioned South African performers and artists against any form of distraction from different quarters.

“The only thing that was surprising was to learn of the existence of the Puebla International Festival,” he said.

Asked whether the episode from the pageant could have been handled better, Jacobs said the organisers should have been more diligent, saying that the allegation of citizenship fraud could have been investigated faster if that had been the case.

Writers Guild of South Africa chairperson Busisiwe Ntintili said she also wasn’t aware of the festival, which seemingly started this year.

Ntintili said while they had not received any correspondence from the festival organisers, she had seen the message on social media.

“This has been a very divisive matter where people have taken certain positions. The unfortunate reality is that a South African woman was robbed of her identity,” she added.

She said the matter should have been handled in a more humane fashion as there were individuals and families who were affected by the development.