Judging by the unhappiness of Lebo M, John Kani and the cream of black theatre personalities, all is not well in the South African performing arts.

Judging by the unhappiness of Lebo M, John Kani and the cream of black theatre personalities, all is not well in the South African performing arts.

Lebo M and many others complained bitterly this week of the perceived racial bias at the annual Naledi Awards. Aggravating a very raw nerve, organiser Dawn Lindberg has subsequently made snide derogatory remarks. She said she remained in South Africa to fight apartheid (albeit from her plush Houghton residence in a segregated white suburb) while Lebo M was overseas in exile.

I find it strange that in this supposedly transformed industry with a majority black population, that only three out of the 17 judges were black. Did the organisers not think it would lead to a perception of Eurocentric judging?

I wonder if the calls for black advocacy groups are misplaced? Surely black icons like Lebo M and Kani can't be denied a place in the sun in their own country.

Azania Mboya, Hillbrow