The 2009 National Arts Festival was launched by Eastern Cape MEC for Sport, Recreation, Arts & Culture Xoliswa Tom, who announced that government has invested R4.3 million in the Festival this year.  She said the department, in its sixth year of partnership with the Festival, was particularly concerned with providing financial assistance to skilled rural artists, with funds being channelled into Wordfest training at district level, indigenous music, accommodation, transport and administration.
“Wordfest is continuing to unearth writing skills for our poets and authors. Through this project, we are managing to create networking chances for our word practitioners and publishers,” she said.
Tom  highlighted the publication of a third volume of an anthology of poems by local Xhosa writers , Isivivane, and was surprised to hear that it would be in English. “When I heard it was going to be in English, I said, ‘Huh?’”
The MEC also emphasized the importance of using the Festival as an opportunity to educate visitors about the culture of the province.  “People must not just buy something for beautifying, they must understand what it means.  For beadwork, traders must explain the colour and structure, and the message,” she said.
The theme for this year’s Eastern Cape Cultural Ensemble  is the dance forms of the AmaGcaleka people. “As always, there will be multicultural dance forms displayed around this point,” she said. “We of course keep changing the theme over the years because it is through this group that we are hoping to spread knowledge about the cultures of the people of the Eastern Cape.”
In response to concerns raised about safety and security, new Mayor of Makana Municipality Vumile Lwana, in one of his first public addresses, said incidents of crime would be dealt with harshly.  Rape and drug-related crime would receive severe punishment.  “We will make an example of them. Police are taking no chances. Every place is under the eye of security,” he said. Police were briefed on previous reports of security and services had been “stepped up accordingly,” he said. SAP, well as private security companies, were operational.  But the Mayor advised people to be aware of their own safety. “Participants must take responsibility and not expose themselves to danger.”  Precautions were especially important this year in preparing for next year’s 2010 festival, which will coincide with the FIFA World Cup, he said.

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