Hulisani Ravele calls KZN Entertainment Awards 'wasteful expenditure'

Radio personality Hulisani Ravele is not very impressed with the newly announced KwaZulu-Natal Entertainment Awards.

The event was announced at the Durban ICC last week.

The big night is set for December 15, 2020 at the Durban ICC, where the province’s most accomplished entertainment achievers will be awarded glittering trophies and cash prizes.

The comprehensive list of categories the public will vote for covers a wide spectrum of practitioners including radio DJs, club DJs, artists, actors, TV presenters, comedians, sports stars, entertainment writers and record labels. Special honorary international and achievement awards will also be handed out.

World-renowned DJ Black Coffee, DJ Tira and Sjava have all endorsed the awards.

Taking to social media after the announcement, Ravele wanted to know who’s paying for the new awards ceremony. She said that if it was government funded, it was a spit in the “face of dilapidated schools, kids who cross dangerous rivers” walking long distances to attend schools, and pupils in need of tuition.

She clarified that she’s all for celebrating those in the arts, but called the new awards show “wasteful expenditure”.

Who's paying? IF it's govt, this is a spit in the face of dilapidated schools, kids who cross dangerous rivers & walk for km's to get to school, students who can't afford tuition. I'm all for celebrating those who do well, the arts, mara please, this is wasteful expenditure. 😔 https://t.co/wunlIPfKFx

— Hulisani Ravele (@HulisaniRavele) October 16, 2020

She also said that even if the funds were coming from the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture and not the Department of Basic Education, the “funds can (be) more purposefully used to uplift members of the arts community in the province”.

And before you say that the DAC's budget is what is being tapped into and not DBE, shup, there are still many ways that these funds can more purposefully used to uplift members of the arts community in the province. This ain't it.

— Hulisani Ravele (@HulisaniRavele) October 16, 2020

Some of tweeps agreed with Ravele’s sentiments about the funds being used for something else.

“I second your call. Even though each department is allocated a budget, but the money should be used to improve the lives of those disadvantaged. In a form of charity,” said @Kagiso_tl0u.

I second your call. Even though each department is allocated a budget, but the money should be used to improve the lives of those disadvantaged. In a form of charity.

— Kagiso Tlou (@Kagiso_tl0u) October 16, 2020

“Especially if we (have) national awards right??  … provincial awards are not really necessary and they can dent our social cohesion,” commented @Great_lioness.

Especially if we national awards right ?? Am of that provincial awards are not really necessary and they can dent our social cohesion

— Great_lioness💋🇿🇦 (@Great_lioness) October 16, 2020

“I concur, music isn’t even in their curriculum. Arts period is free period. That money can do well with developing arts from school level because kids with talent drop out anyway and try their luck in the industry,” commented @InfantSoulRec.

I concur, music isn’t even in their curriculum. Arts period is free period. That money can do well with developing arts from school level because kids with talent drop out anyway and try their luck in the industry.

— INFANT SOUL RECORDS (@InfantSoulRec) October 16, 2020