South African fashion designer Mzukisi Mbane, who was honoured at last year’s National Arts and Culture Awards (NACA), has publicly criticised the treatment of creatives invited to this year’s ceremony, accusing the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) of disrespecting the very artists it claims to celebrate.
Mbane, through his fashion label Imprint South Africa, took to X ahead of the 2026 NACA ceremony at Sun City to express his frustration over the arrangements for his attendance.
The designer said that despite being a previous NACA winner and being invited to this year’s event, he was expected to pay for his own travel and accommodation.
“There’s no disrespect quite like how SA treats its creatives,” Mbane posted.
The complaint comes a year after Mbane received the Outstanding Fashion/Textile Designer Award at the 2025 NACA ceremony, placing him among the creative practitioners formally recognised by DSAC for excellence in their respective fields.
Mbane’s complaint went beyond the cost of attending the awards.
He alleged that accommodation at Sun City was fully booked and claimed that people who were not involved in the creative industry had nevertheless been accommodated, while artists were expected to make their own arrangements.
The designer also raised a broader concern about the relationship between government and the creative sector, alleging that artists are reluctant to publicly challenge the department because of fears that speaking out could affect their access to funding or opportunities.
“No one is supposed to say anything about the Department. There’s fear that you will be blocked or not funded,” he said.
The remarks are particularly striking because NACA is positioned by DSAC as a major national platform for recognising excellence across the creative industries.
Mbane’s own recognition at the 2025 awards was part of that programme. He was among the winners celebrated at Sun City’s Super Bowl, where the department described the recipients as artists whose work reflected the richness and resilience of South Africa’s creative sector.
The dispute therefore places an uncomfortable spotlight on the gap between celebrating creative excellence on stage and supporting creatives behind the scenes.
Mbane is an established figure in South African fashion and the designer behind Imprint South Africa, a fashion and lifestyle brand specialising in men’s and women’s wear, footwear and accessories.
His public criticism also comes as the 2026 NACA ceremony prepares to showcase some of the country’s leading artists and cultural practitioners.
Africa Daily has approached the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture for comment. The department had not responded by the time of publication.
For now, what began as a complaint about travel and accommodation has opened a much bigger conversation about how South Africa treats the creative practitioners it puts on national stages to represent its cultural excellence.
