Lerato Mvelase Slams Arts Department at Nandi Nyembe’s Memorial: “We Have Been Sold a Dream”

Actress Lerato Mvelase delivered a powerful and emotional speech at the memorial service of legendary actress Nandi Nyembe, calling out the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture for failing artists in South Africa.

The memorial, held at the Market Theatre in Newtown on Thursday, was attended by colleagues, friends, and fans who came to honour Mam’ Nandi, who passed away on August 23 after years of health issues and financial hardship. She was 75 years old.

According to TimesLive, while the department’s deputy director, Sibusiso Tsanyane, praised Nandi as “a symbol of hope, humility and resilience,” Lerato Mvelase used her moment at the podium to speak out about the deeper issues affecting the entertainment industry.

“I know this is not a space where political issues should be addressed, but there is something I need to say,” Lerato began. “Mr. Sibusiso, I urge you to let the minister know that going forward, artists will no longer allow the department to come and celebrate with us. It is not a fight with the department, it is a fight with the system which has been putting actors down for our whole lives,” she said.

She expressed frustration at the department’s repeated promises that never turn into real change. “I would have loved to hear a speech about working towards changing policies or adjusting them. How long must we hear the same speeches? How long must we have the same engagements about the need for policy structures that are going to protect us as actors?” she asked.

“Where Mam’ Nandi is, her heart was not happy. I am not happy. We are not happy. We have been sold a dream that will never be realised,” she added. “Uyabona sisonke la, singa cula si strike si shuter down iIndustry [all of us here can sing, strike and even shut down the industry], but until we have regulations and policies that put our needs and our careers in the same light as any other industry, we are on our own.”

Lerato, who started in Netflix series Marked and co-starred with Nandi on the series Icala, also urged younger artists to protect themselves. “I want to urge young aspiring actors to have a plan B. We are not a charity case. We must stop looking at ourselves as charity. We must find means to sustain ourselves because there is no political will to work with us,” she said.

“I have been in the industry for 30 years and 30 years later, we are still having the same conversation. That should tell us something.”

Nandi’s financial struggles had come to light in April, when a video of her asking for help was shared on social media.