Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa took to Twitter to celebrate the achievements of film director Sibusiso Khuzwayo’s, “The Letter Reader”.
He wrote: “Watch: Today we celebrate award-winning filmmaker Sibusiso Khuzwayo whose film ’The Letter Reader’ has won multiple domestic & international awards.
“’The Letter Reader’ was funded by the Department of Arts & Culture's agency @NFVFSA & is now available on Netflix & Showmax.”
Watch: Today we celebrate award-winning filmmaker Sibusiso Khuzwayo whose film "The Letter Reader" has won multiple domestic & international awards.
— Min. Nathi Mthethwa (@NathiMthethwaSA) January 25, 2021
The Letter Reader was funded by the Department of Arts & Culture's agency @NFVFSA & is now available on Netflix & Showmax. pic.twitter.com/rZ0cBj2xsS
Funded by the National Film and Video Foundation and the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission, “The Letter Reader” has won several awards, among them a Golden Horn Award for Best Short Film and an Efere Ozako Award for Best Short film.
It tells the story of Siyabonga, a 12-year-old boy from Johannesburg who is sent to a village in KwaZulu-Natal while his parents sort out their marital problems.
Siyabonga discovers the power of words as he reads letters that put a smile on people’s faces, until one day, a letter with bad news lands in his hands.
Commenting on Mthethwa’s post were tweeps who wanted to have more serious conversations with the minister.
A user commented: “Sir when are you going to start taking our talented artists serious coz everytime when they bring their grievances to you u go AWOL, you only available if they get recognized by other countries and other organizations, and you are number one kao announcer di funerals.@FloMasebe”.
Sir when are you going to start taking our talented artists serious coz everytime when they bring their grievances to you u go AWOL, you only available if they get recognized by other countries and other organizations, and you are number one kao announcer di funerals. @FloMasebe
— Lufuno Tala (@Funiza) January 25, 2021
Another said: “Quick to celebrate without solving the issue at hand, artists are suffering while u tweet lies Nd want to claim glory in others hard work ?? How do u sleep at night knowing u hve a full meal while others sleep with hunger under your watch??”.
Quick to celebrate without solving the issue at hand ,artists are suffering while u tweet lies Nd want to claim glory in others hard work ?? How do u sleep at night knowing u hve a full meal while others sleep with hunger under your watch??
— Bhubesi Ngwane (@Bhubesi03728021) January 25, 2021
The ministry has not responded to the tweets.
“The Letter Reader” is available on Netflix worldwide and Showmax.