By Doreen Mokgolo
Desperate for recognition after years of hard work and performing for free at EFF events, the Tembisa Red Devils took to social media this week to try and get party leader Julius Malema’s attention.
And their campaign seems to have had the desired effect. At one of the party’s events in 2019, Malema acknowledged the group and vowed that once the EFF took over Ekurhuleni metro, the pantsula group would perform at all its municipal events.
Following enquiries from Scrolla.Africa about why they have been ignored by the party lately, Gauteng EFF spokesperson Dumisani Baleni said the group will be performing at their election rally in Thembisa on Saturday.
This is the first time in months that the eight-member group has been invited to perform at an EFF event.
The group say they have been performing for the EFF since 2014 without compensation, with the promise that once the party has a budget for entertainers, they will be first in line to benefit.
To date, they have not received any payment, and apart from booking them for Saturday’s rally, the party had stopped booking them for performances.
In an interview with Scrolla.Africa, Tembisa Red Devils leader Kgaogelo Makhubela said that previously they used to travel across the country to perform at EFF events.
“We were not only performing at their events but we are also card-carrying members who voted them into power. We lost international and government gigs just by being associated with the EFF. But … it seems they have forgotten their promises,” he said.
“Now that they have funds, they are inviting bigger artists, and [it seems] we are not good enough to perform at their events.”
Makhubela said he was sure Malema didn’t know that the group had not been asked to perform at recent EFF events.
“It is those in leadership positions who are not inviting us to perform, but we don’t have access to alert him of the cold treatment we are receiving,” he said.
Responding to the allegations, Baleni said the EFF doesn’t owe the group for any performances.
“The concerns raised by the group are about not being invited to our recent events,” he said.
“We will ensure that their concerns are attended to as we have high regard for artists and anyone in the creative industry. Everyone who renders a performance at our programmes is always well compensated.”
Picture above: Tembisa Red Devils.
Image source: Supplied