Chomee Releases Statement Following NAC Funding Scandal!

Chomee Releases Statement Following NAC Funding Scandal! About a week ago, there were allegations and reports that singer and dancer Chomee had received R2 Million from NAC Funding. At the time Chomee only took to her social media labelling the stories “lies”.

Now the singer has released a full statement addressing the allegations. Read the full statement below.

It is indeed a sad day in South Africa and to be specific in the struggle to ensure gender parity,
emancipate and uplift women in this country, when a woman is openly vilified by men in white
owned and controlled newsrooms because she applied for funding and was approved like all other
thousand applicants who did the same thing.

The question I am asking myself is: what did I do that is wrong or different as an applicant, to an
open call for funding. Why am I in the newspapers and newsrooms and being questioned for doing
what others did?

Is it because I am not deserving of funding, or because I am a black woman? The list released shows
women of all races who applied for the funding, got approved and some even received part
payment, and no one is asking them anything, were they asked as to whom they dated before
applying, or is it just me?

I am an artist and since I was a six-year-old kid, I have graced stages locally, continentally, and
internationally, I have released albums/CDs and the record of all my performance and music is public
knowledge for anyone who is interested in a bit of factual information.

I was affected by the lockdown like all other practitioners and lost a lot of work. Why then am I under
this scrutiny. Is it because a black woman is not deserving of a R2 million funding? Is it because a black
woman cannot manage money or projects meant to empower otherblack women in the industry?
The PESP funding is for creating jobs opportunities and unfortunately no journalist has to date asked
me as to how many jobs am, I planning to create and where will these be created and who are the
intended beneficiaries.

It is falsely reported that I received R2 million and to date I have not received a cent in my account to
start this project. Why would a journalist not double check such basic information with the NAC
before believing theirso-called faceless sources? Why are journalists using social media and
unverified reports to write stories without doing a simple research to check for facts?

I am more not a victim of those who are slandering me and my name for no good reason, but more
of a victim of bad journalism.

I hope that one day in this country, women will be respected for who they are and not be treated
and defined through the lens and eyes of men, but be seen for who they are, for the work they do
and the contribution they make to society without being attached to me.